We were so excited to welcome our students back to school on Tuesday—and what an amazing first week it’s been! Our hallways are more crowded than ever before, but it’s been energizing to see so many smiling faces, real conversations, and a strong sense of community from day one.

One of the most noticeable (and positive!) changes this year has been students engaging with one another instead of their screens. We know our new no phone policy has been an adjustment, and we truly appreciate everyone’s efforts to shift their habits and support a more focused, connected school environment.

Please continue to talk with your student about the importance of keeping their phone off and in their backpack during the school day. Additionally, we ask that you do not text or call your student during school hours. If you need to reach them, please contact the front office, and we will ensure your message is delivered.

If a student needs to contact their parent during the day, they can come to the office or speak with an administrator, and we will assist them. This partnership between school and home is essential to the success of this policy. Thank you for your support.

You can read more about the new phone policy by clickng here. Beginning Monday, any phones or other prohibited items seen during the day will be confiscated.

During the 89th Texas Legislative Session, Senate Bill 12 (SB 12) was passed, which requires school districts to obtain written parental consent before providing certain services or allowing student participation in specific school-sponsored activities.

We want to make sure you’re fully informed about how this impacts your child’s experience this year.

You can read more about SB 12 and the changes by clicking here.

1. Mental Health-Related Services
   The district must notify parents of staff services related to school counseling and give parents the opportunity to opt out before those services are provided to their child.

   1. https://forms.gle/VP38VDwCwuuhKi1W6 

2. Physical Health-Related Services
   Certain school-based health services, such as non-emergency medical screenings or treatments, now require your written permission.

   1. https://forms.gle/b7iPqR6yo8gYXhG86

3. Participation in school-sponsored Student Clubs
   If your child wishes to participate in school or district-sponsored clubs or organizations, parental approval is required. 

   1. https://forms.gle/2aBfvSKt2iGj4HDM8

Consent forms must be completed and returned by Sunday, August 31st.

We’re looking forward to a strong second week of school and continuing the momentum we’ve already built. I also hope to see many of you at our Back to School Knight on Monday. Back to school Knight is a great opportunity to connect, learn more about what’s ahead this year, and celebrate the start of another fantastic year at McCallum.

Calendar Highlights

• Monday, August 25th, Back to School Knight

• Monday, September 1st, Student Holiday.

• Tuesday, September 2nd, College 101 Knight

• Monday, September 8th, First CAC and PTSA meeting

• Tuesday, September 9th, High School 101 Presentation

McCallum Calendar and Bell Schedule

• AB Calendar

• Bell Schedule

• McCallum Campus Map

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

• We’ve heard from several students about the difficulty of exiting parking spots during busy times. In one instance today, I saw a student driver wait nearly five minutes before another car allowed them to pull out. While some congestion is expected at the start of the year and should ease over the next few weeks, we’re asking all drivers to be patient, courteous, and aware of others. A little kindness and cooperation go a long way in keeping things moving safely for everyone.

• I want to remind everyone to take pride in our campus and surrounding community. Please talk with your students about the importance of not littering and being respectful of the neighborhood around the school. Keeping our area clean shows respect; or our school, our neighbors, and each other. Let’s all do our part!

• McCallum Volleyball is off to a fantastic start this season with an impressive 11-6 record and currently riding a 4-game winning streak! The team’s hard work and determination are showing on the court. Good luck to the Knights as they head into their tournament this weekend—keep the momentum going!

• I know some of our families are not able to view the Weekend Updates. I am working with our IT department to make sure the email groups we use are updated frequently.

  • One issue we have uncovered is if you have blocked an email from AISD Communications in the past, then you will need to unblock that address to receive updates.

  • Some families have found the weekend updates in their Junk or Spam folder.

• Navigating Blend: Would you be surprised to know there is an app for Blend....It is called Canvas and there is a student version and a parent version. Both will allow you to easily access your child's Blend courses.

• Class of 2026 - Graduation dates have not been released. I will send out the dates as soon as they are released. Remember we do not finish school until after Memorial Day again this year, so the ceremony may be the first week of June.

Week one may have felt like a blur—especially for students who started without a complete schedule. Now that our counseling team has addressed the majority of Priority Group 1, we will shift focus to Priority Groups 2 through 4. Once these are completed, we’ll begin reviewing additional schedule change requests.

Please keep in mind that all schedule changes depend on course availability, and we will do our best to honor as many requests as possible. In the meantime, students must continue following the schedule currently listed in the portal.

Priority Groups

1. Students without a class: These students will soon see a placeholder course titled “See Counselor” (Course #9909.R900.Y) on their schedule, with Ms. Kirby-Eliasen listed as the teacher. They should report to the library during this period only.

2. Students who already have credit for a course: If a student is scheduled for a class they’ve already passed, they should also report to the cafeteria during that class period.

3. New students: Students who enrolled during the first week will meet with a counselor in the cafeteria to finalize their schedules.

4. Level changes: On-Level → Advanced/AP/OnRamps: These changes should be made as soon as possible to limit the amount of makeup work required.

   1. Please Note: Requests to move from Advanced, AP, or OnRamps to On-Level will not be considered until after the first progress report.

Additional Information

• Our counseling team is working through the weekend to process schedule changes and ensure students are placed appropriately by Monday.

• Due to House Bill 1481, students cannot view their schedules on their phones.
  We strongly encourage all students and parents to check schedules via the Self-Serve found on the AISD Portal on Sunday night or before school on Monday.

• Schedules may still change due to class leveling, even if a student did not request a change. Please be sure to check for any updates.

Thank you for your patience and support as we work to make sure every student is set up for a successful year!

SENIOR INFO CLASS OF 2026

Senior year is here for the class of 2026.  Parents~ here is your to-do list!

*Follow the Mac Class of 2026 Parents on Facebook.

*Order a sign.  Senior Yard Signs are on sale now!  Order by Sept 5 to get in the first delivery. 

*Support Project Graduation:

• Donate $126 per student

• Sponsor additional seniors.

• Share donation requests with family & friends

• Help find business sponsors to donate

Project Graduation is a series of safe, inclusive activities and events for our 2026 McCallum Seniors. It is made possible by generous donations from parents and businesses in our community. Our goal is to raise $35,000 to cover all costs for the Senior Carnival, incredible prizes, Uber codes, the Senior Breakfast and more.

Buy your sign & donate here: macprojectgrad.square.site/

Your 2026 Project Graduation Board is:

 Bria Cirkel, Tracey Mitchell, Laura Beck, Nisha Rocap & Susanna Butler

If you would like to volunteer or have any questions, please email me at bria@parksideprojects.com!

Parents who have students interested in trying out for the McCallum Boys and Girls Swim/Dive Team - our information meeting will be Monday, August 25 at the end of Back To School Night in the Cafeteria. The meeting will begin at 8:25PM and run approximately 30 minutes. All students trying out should have a physical and mandatory forms on file prior to try-outs.

Forms can be found here: https://www.uiltexas.org/athletics/forms
Questions? - Reach out to Coach Rudy this week via email - jrudy@austinisd.org.