Weekend Update #4

Principal's Corner

Week 3 is in the books which means it is time for progress reports. Teachers will be finalizing their gradebooks on Monday and progress reports will be viewable on Wednesday through Frontline SIS. Progress reports provide a great opportunity for students to evaluate their study habits and routines. Students often find that small changes, like not having their phone with them when they study, can result in huge gains.

Friday, September 13th will be an A day.

Click here for the AB calendar

First CAC (Campus Advisory Council) meeting is Monday September 9th. Email Elaine Bohls-Graham, elaine.bohls-graham@austinisd.org, if you are interested in joining.

Join us for our first PTSA meeting immediately following the CAC meeting. PTSA meetings are open to the public and we welcome your participation.

Here are a few other items that came up during week two.

CAC Meeting: Monday September 9th at 5:45 pm in the Library.
- This meeting is open to the public.
- You may enter through the side door of the library. You can access this door from the circle drive.
PTSA (Parent Teacher Student Association): 1st meeting on Monday, September 9th in the Library. Approx. start time is 7 pm.
Office Needs Volunteers
- The office needs help assisting our students, parents and visitors.
- Sign up to help at the front desk with the link below.
  - Register to volunteer at: https://austinisd.voly.org/
  - If you are already registered you can go directly to:
    https://austinisd.voly.org/agencies/profile.html?id=7201
- If you have any questions, email sara.zettner@austinisd.org. Thanks!
The Family Empower Hour sessions by AISD are a crucial support service tailored to provide high school families with essential information and assistance. These sessions are built to offer valuable insights and support, acting as a bridge between the school and our families. They equip parents with the tools and understanding needed to navigate the complex world of their children's education. Click here to see the upcoming sessions.
The District is mandated by the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) to provide written notification to all parents, teachers, and employee organizations regarding the availability of asbestos management plans for District facilities. Click here to read the notice.
Austin ISD Advanced Academics will offer an online information session for families of current, new, and/or prospective AP students on September 19 from 6 to 7 PM. This session is ideally for current or new AP students as it will outline support and timelines for this current school year. The session will be offered in English and Spanish. This session will include information about:
- AP Exams - Schedule of exams and deadlines for ordering
- Benefits of AP participation and taking the AP Exam
- Free AP resources such as AP Classroom
- General overview of AP outcomes in Austin ISD
- Click here for more information.
Mark your calendars for Wednesday, October 9th, when our students will be taking the PSAT. Our 9th-grade students will participate in the 8/9 version of the PSAT, while 10th and 11th graders will take the PSAT/NMSQT. I will have more on this in future updates.

Attendance Updates

There have been a few questions about our attendance policies and what is and is not excused, or more importantly does an absence count toward credit denial. AISD has decided to reinstate a credit denial system for students who fall below the required 90% attendance rule. Our goal is to increase student attendance and ultimately improve student outcomes. I shared a presentation earlier this year that went over why attendance matters. You can access that presentation here. Look at slides 7-11 for more details on what is excused vs unexcused, and what counts and does not count for credit denial.

Let me take a second to talk about Covid. We know the start of each year seems to mean a rise in Covid cases, and we are definitely seeing a spike in cases. AISD's Covid protocol has been simplified to be in line with AISD's approach to other infectious diseases such as the flu or a common cold. Students who have tested positive for Covid should let our school nurse know via email, amanda.rose@austinisd.org. Covid related absence will count toward the 90% credit denial policy. I want to assure you that my admin team looks at the absence notes when determining how many hours a student needs to make up. We are given a certain amount of discretion when it comes to making up hours, and your notes assist us with understanding the full situation.

A student with any of the following symptoms should not attend school:

Temperature of 100 degrees or higher
Nausea, Vomiting, or Diarrhea
Eye redness and/or drainage
Undetermined rash and/or scaly patches over any part of the body or scalp
Intense itching with signs and symptoms of secondary infection
Open, draining lesions

A child with any of these symptoms must stay home until they are symptom-free for 24 hours and without the use of medication before returning to school. For more information please see "Health Reasons to Keep Your Student Home" (English/Spanish).

Weekly RAVE

This week I received a RAVE award for 1 of our spectacular staff members. Here is what you had to say:

Cat O'Neal - One of the sweetest most belonging history teachers I’ve ever met !! (from a student)

I would love to hear about how one of the McCallum staff members positively impacted your student's life. Click here to submit a RAVE.

High School 101 and College 101 (updated locations)

Thank you to all the parents who were able to attend our Knight with the counseling team. I know some of our parents were not able to attend, so I have attached the presentations from the two sessions below.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to our counseling team if you have any questions. Click here to visit our counseling webpage.

High School 101 Presentation

College 101 Presentation

Athletic Spotlight: McCallum Knights Shine in the Battle for the Bell

On Friday night, our football team faced off against one of our oldest rivals, Travis High School, in the highly anticipated annual Battle for the Bell. The Knights delivered an impressive performance, securing a decisive 42-14 victory over the Rebels. The win is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our players and coaching staff. Next up, the Knights will hit the road for a challenging game against the Pinkston Vikings in Dallas.

In volleyball, our team is gearing up to wrap up non-district play with a road trip to Leander on Tuesday night. The Knights will then dive into district play with a home match against Navarro HS on Friday. The schedule is as follows: Freshman at 5:30 PM, JV at 6:30 PM, and Varsity at 7:30 PM. We encourage everyone to come out and cheer on our incredible student-athletes as they take the court. Your support makes all the difference!

I’d like to provide an update on Tennis tryouts. Although we initially planned to hold tryouts in the first week of school, the extreme Texas heat made this impractical. Instead, Coach McLaughlin is inviting any students interested in joining the tennis team to enroll in his JV tennis class. Coach McLaughlin will select players from this class to participate in upcoming tournaments.

If you have any questions or need further information, please reach out to Coach McLaughlin at michael.k.mclaughlin@austinisd.org.

Let’s show our Knight pride and rally behind our teams as they strive for excellence.

Go Knights!

Tardy Enforcement Policy Resumes

As we move into the 4th week of the school year, we want to remind our students and families that we will continue to follow our tardy enforcement policy from the spring semester. This policy is designed to help foster a more punctual and engaged learning environment, ensuring that every student makes the most of their instructional time.

Starting this week, students who are tardy three or more times within a single week will face disciplinary consequences. These consequences may include a warning, lunch detention, or, in more persistent cases, a day in In-School Suspension. Our goal with this policy is to emphasize the importance of arriving on time and to boost attendance rates and engagement during those crucial first few minutes of each class.

We will also monitor daily attendance rates to ensure students are not skipping to avoid a consequence for being late.

We understand that occasional lateness can happen, but consistent punctuality is key to academic success and maintaining a positive learning environment. We appreciate your cooperation and support as we work together to help all students achieve their best.

Round Table Preview

We have decided to extend our adjusted Round Table schedule for one more week.

This week's lessons will focus on:

Mon 09/09

Academic Advising and FIT Assignment Communication

Tues 09/10

Why is “this” Important?

Advisory/FIT, Attendance, Rules, etc.

Wed 09/11

Study Hall in 2nd

Thurs 09/12

Study Hall in 6th

Fri 09/13

Study Hall in 2nd

2024 FALL MUSICAL: Tuck EVERLASTING

Book by Claudie Shear & Tim Federle

Music by Chris Miller

Lyrics by Nathan Tysen

Based on the novel Tuck Everlasting by Natlie Babbitt

Step into a world where time stands still and every moment is timeless. Follow Winnie Foster’s journey as she uncovers a hidden spring with the power to grant eternal life, forcing her to choose between eternal life and the fleeting beauty of a single lifetime.

September 19-29

McCallum Arts Center

Tickets: www.mactheatre.com

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!