McCallum High School

Weekend Update #21

Your weekly guide to all things MAC

Principal's Corner

This week marks the final week of the grading period, and we want to remind our students that there is still time to positively impact their grades before the period ends. We encourage any student who is struggling to reach out to their teachers for assistance. It's never too late to turn things around, and with the right support, every student has the opportunity to finish strong.

We’re also excited to update you on our new hall pass system, MyHomework, which has been successfully rolled out. We’re now moving into phase two, which includes utilizing the scheduling feature to better manage Flexible Instruction Time (FIT) assignments. This will allow us to assign students to FIT sessions based on their academic performance, giving them targeted support where it’s needed most. One of our key focuses will be on students who have traditionally struggled with state assessments, especially with EOC tests just a month away. This initiative will provide real-time support to help prepare these students for success on their exams.

Additionally, we ask that you please take some time to talk to your students about the importance of staying on campus throughout the school day, particularly during lunch. As part of our effort to ensure student safety and focus on learning, we have started to increase enforcement of our closed campus policy for non-seniors. Any student leaving campus during lunch without permission may face disciplinary consequences. We appreciate your support in reinforcing this important policy.

Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting our students' success. Let’s finish this grading period strong!

Here are a few other items that came across my desk this week:

  • Congratulations to Coach Rich and the Girls Soccer team for qualifying for the UIL playoffs. The team took down Ann Richards last night 3-0 and will close out their regular season on Wednesday night against Bastrop.

  • Congratulations to the McCallum Orchestra program for bringing home sweepstakes at this week's UIL Concert and Sightreading Contest.

  • March is National Athletic Trainer Month, and we want to take a moment to thank our incredible athletic trainers, Matt Johnson and Annmarie Reynolds, for all their hard work, dedication, and care. Your expertise and commitment to keeping our athletes safe and healthy does not go unnoticed. We are grateful for everything you do to support our student-athletes both on and off the field.

  • LAST WEEK TO APPLY!!! SENIORS - Don't Forget to Apply for a PTSA Scholarship - Deadline is March 14!!

    Two $1000 scholarships are available to MAC PTSA members who are headed to college or pursuing other interesting plans upon graduation. Click on the link for applications and more information:

    https://mccallumptsa.org/about/ptsa/ptsa-scholarships/

  • As we continue to create a positive and respectful learning environment, we ask that you please take a moment to talk to your students about our district dress code and the importance of dressing appropriately while at school. It is essential that all students follow the guidelines to ensure they are ready to focus on their education and contribute to a respectful atmosphere.

Friday A/B Rotation Schedule

Friday, March 14th will be a Student Holiday

Calendar Highlights

Friday, March 14th, Student Holiday, the front office will be open on a modified schedule.

Monday, March 17th - Friday, March 21st Spring Break

Monday, April 7th, CAC and PTSA meeting in the school Library. CAC will start at 5:30 pm.

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

  • Mon 3/10: Academic Advising

  • Tue 3/11: Women’s History Month Activity

  • Mon 3/24: Academic Advising

  • Tue 3/25: Texas Women's History Activity

Flexible Instructional Time (FIT).

  • Week of March 10-13

    • FIT Sessions as normal on Wednesday and Thursday

  • Week of March 24-28

    • FIT Sessions as normal on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

AISD RAVE Award

This week I received one RAVE award, heralding the amazing efforts of a member of our staff.

  • Nathan Thompson - Mr. Thompson is the best choir teacher my child has ever had, and I am impressed with his abilities both as a teacher and as a director. The students love him for good reason!

I would love to hear more about the teachers or staff members who make a difference in your child’s life. Please take a moment to recognize their contributions using this link; AISD RAVE. 

Exploring Changes to Our Student Ranking System

As part of our ongoing efforts to evaluate and improve the academic experience at McCallum, we are exploring the possibility of adjusting the way we rank our students. Specifically, we are considering a move to only rank students who fall in the top 10% of their graduating class, with students outside of that range not receiving an official class rank.

This potential shift follows the example set by four other AISD campuses: Austin High, Anderson High, LASA, and Ann Richards, who have already made the transition to an unranked system. We believe this change could provide a more equitable approach to ranking and reflect the diverse strengths of our students.

To ensure we make an informed decision, we want to hear from you, our McCallum families. I have included the impact study completed by our staff, which outlines the potential effects of this change on our students and the overall academic culture. Please take a moment to review this information and share your thoughts.

Your feedback is essential as we move forward with this important discussion. We value your input and look forward to hearing from you. Please complete this form to let us know if you support this potential change.

Heller Award Nominations

We are thrilled to announce the McCallum Fine Arts Academy has received 7 nominations for the Heller Awards for Young Artists for our outstanding performance of Tuck Everlasting!

Our nominations are:

  • Best Choreography

  • Lighting Design

  • Best Technical Execution

  • Best Scenic Design

  • Best Featured Ensemble – Elora Clarke & Aydan Courtney

  • Best Lead Female – Delilah Grad

The Heller Awards ceremony will be held at the Long Center on April 16th, and we couldn’t be more proud of our talented students and faculty. Best of luck to all of our nominees—your hard work and dedication have truly paid off!

Let's continue to support our amazing Fine Arts program as they shine!

Congratulations to Our MAC Dancers!

We are incredibly proud to share that 11 members of the MAC Youth Dance Company participated in the prestigious National High School Dance Festival in Pittsburgh, PA last week! Please join us in congratulating:

  • Alix Buonodono

  • Analise Bady

  • Ava Sylliaasen

  • Bee Walker

  • Corinne Hampton

  • Julia Rasp

  • Olivia Pittman

  • Pia Sosa

  • Sasha Grapko

  • Senna Houston

  • Zoe Maxwell

These talented dancers had the opportunity to perform, audition, and take collegiate-level dance classes alongside over 2,000 dancers from across the country, Canada, and Australia. Several of our students were even recognized with college and summer program acceptances and scholarships—a testament to their hard work and dedication! 🌟

We are beyond proud of their accomplishments and grateful for the opportunity they had to represent McCallum on such a large stage. 💫

dance

McCallum Fashion Show

Fashion

We are excited to invite the entire McCallum community to the much-anticipated McCallum Fashion Show happening TONIGHT and TOMORROW AFTERNOON!

This is a celebration of creativity, style, and talent, where all the designers and models are our very own McCallum students. Whether you're into fashion, art, or just want to see your peers shine, this is an event you won't want to miss!

📅 Dates: Tonight & Tomorrow afternoon
⏰ Time: Saturday at 7 pm and Sunday at 2
📍 Location: MAC Theater

Bring your friends and family to support our student designers and models. Let’s make this a memorable celebration of McCallum’s incredible talent!

Thank you for taking the time to read the weekend update! At McCallum, we are always striving to improve, and I truly value the input of our parents and students. If you have any concerns or suggestions on how we can make McCallum an even better place, I encourage you to reach out. Your feedback is invaluable! Together, we can continue to make McCallum a place where every student thrives.

Ongoing Announcements

Class of 2025 - Project Graduation

Senior Parents! Donate NOW to Sponsor a Senior for Project Graduation!

The Sponsor a Senior Project Graduation Fundraiser is well under way, but we still need help to reach our goal of $25,000.00.

What is Project Graduation?

It is fully community funded and funds go to celebrate the Senior class of 2025! Things like a Senior Carnival and Breakfast, as well as providing UBER codes for a safe ride home after prom and graduation are funded through this group! The hope is that each family donates $125.00 for their senior, but ANY amount helps!  The new tally is 80 families donating so far, with donations ranging from $25 to $1,250!! If you haven't donated yet, here's the link. or you can drop off a check at the Mac office in an envelope marked "Project Graduation!" Help us reach the $20K mark this week!  

2025

Final Exam Waivers

As promised, we will continue offering final exam waivers for this semester, but with a couple of important modifications. In order to qualify for the waiver program, students must now maintain 90% attendance in all of their classes. Additionally, students will need to have a minimum 80 average in any class for which they wish to use a waiver. These changes are aimed at encouraging consistent attendance and academic performance, ensuring that students are fully engaged in their learning throughout the semester. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work to support student success!

Bond Program Update: Athletic Fields

We have a big update from the 2022 Bond for the future of athletics at our school! 

As you may know, Austin ISD comprehensive high schools will receive artificial turf and other athletic field improvements as part of the 2022 Bond. The design for our turf field has been submitted to the City of Austin for permitting, hiring of contractors is underway and we expect to start construction on the field in Summer 2025.

  • In the meantime, we will be working with the district on accommodations for students while the athletic fields are under construction. Specific arrangements will be communicated as soon as they are finalized.

What’s next: We now anticipate our field to be complete by the end of 2025.

Go deeper: For the latest information on the projects, including the schedule for all projects and FAQs, please visit the Turf and Fields project website.

  • You can also submit feedback through the Questions & Comments form. 

Our Counseling Team needs your help!

Hello MAC community!

The Counseling Department and Twilight program are seeking donations of snacks/simple microwaveable meals. Below is a suggested list of items. All products shipped or dropped off to MAC, please address to the "counseling department" and we'll sort donations for program needs.

Thank you so much for your consideration and support to MAC students. We really appreciate YOU! 

Questions? Please email Ms. Cristela Garcia at: cristela.garcia@austinisd.org 

CheezIts 

Goldfish

Skinny Pop popcorn (or other brand)

Pretzles/chips/assorted

Granola & protein bars

Mac n'cheese microwaveable cups

Fruit bars/dried fruit individual packs

Trail mix

Microwaveable soups

Microwaveable oatmeal

Beef jerky

Cheese/peanut butter crackers/assorted

(cannot use ramen that needs to be cooked)

whiteboard

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!