This week, progress reports are going out, giving parents an important snapshot of their student’s academic standing. You can easily view these updates through the AISD portal. We encourage families to have open and honest conversations with their students about their progress. Our dedicated teachers are here and ready to support your student every step of the way. For those who need a little extra help, don’t forget about FIT (Flexible Instruction Time), a great opportunity for students to get additional support.

On another note, we want to commend our students for doing an excellent job adapting to the personal device policy at school. Your cooperation has made this transition much smoother. Parents, please continue to reinforce the importance of students storing their devices throughout the day. We’re still seeing too many phones being carried in pockets, which makes it too easy for students to use them during class. We strongly advise students to put their phones in their bags and remember to have devices stored by 8:55 AM when the first bell rings.

And finally, let’s celebrate some thrilling moments from our Knights teams! Our football team pulled off an incredible overtime win, beating Dallas Pinkston 34-28. Down 28-21 with time expiring, the Knights scored a game-tying touchdown and carried that momentum into overtime for the victory. Meanwhile, our volleyball team swept LASA 3-0, the Knights faced a tough challenge in the first set winning 25-22, then cruised to double-digit wins in the final two sets. What a fantastic week for Knights athletics!

Wishing everyone a wonderful week ahead!

Go Knights!

Calendar Highlights

• Monday, September 22nd - Student Holiday, Staff Professional Development

• Tuesday, September 23rd - Student Holiday, Staff Professional Development

• Monday, October 6th - CAC at 5:30 pm and PTSA General Meeting at 6:30 pm both will be in the library.

• Friday, October 10th - Student Holiday, School office will be open on an adjusted schedule

• Monday October 13th - Student/Staff Holiday

McCallum General Information

• AB Calendar

• Bell Schedule (Updated on 8/28/25)

• McCallum Campus Map

• AISD Personal Device Policy

• McCallum Personal Device Protocols

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

• Our school nurse would like to remind everyone that all medications should be stored in the nurse’s office. Students should not carry medication with them during the school day.

• Link Crew needs your help! Link Crew is expanding their reach into the lives of our freshmen this year with some fun pizza lunches hosted by the junior & senior Link Crew Leaders but we need help funding them. We would appreciate it if you could "shout us a pizza" ($10 is a pizza but any amount is helpful). Every donation helps us create spaces to connect our freshmen into our Mac community. Thank you for investing in the lives of our youngest Knights! Click the link below to shout us a pizza :) 

  https://mccallumwebstore.myschoolcentral.com/(S(ziqh0b4r54eiymjaov3wkxjv))/Index.aspx

• Students a quick reminder that we have a closed campus for lunch, meaning only Seniors are allowed off campus for lunch. Parents please talk to your students about staying on campus throughout the school day.

• I've received a few questions about the Final Exam Incentive Program and whether it has truly been discontinued for this school year. The answer is yes, we have made the decision to eliminate the program. We understand that this change may be disappointing to some students, and we acknowledge the frustration that can come with the loss of this privilege. Students in AP courses may still take advantage of an exam waiver through AISD Board policy EIAA (local).

• Come support the McCallum Band at the 52nd Annual Austin ISD Marching Band Jamboree on Tuesday, September 16 at 7:00 PM at Toney Burger Stadium. Tickets are just $4, and this event is a great opportunity to enjoy performances from marching bands across the district. You'll also get a sneak preview of McCallum's competition show before the season kicks into full gear. For more details, visit austinisd.org/arts. Don’t miss this exciting night of music!

One of my favorite things to work on each week is this section, where I get to share the amazing things you say about our incredible staff through the AISD RAVE (Recognizing All Valuable Employees) program. This week, we received 5 RAVE submissions highlighting the outstanding work of our MAC team!

• Gabe Adame - Mr. Adame is so cool. I sincerely and truly appreciate his phone call and conversation about my student before the year starts. He has given me such a warm reception and I wanted to recognize the time he took to call during the summer, when I know McCallum has so many kids. I feel hopeful and heard. Thank you Mr. Adame! Chuco forever!

• Sandra Henderson - Ms. Henderson has gone above and beyond to welcome our 9th grader to McCallum and get us all oriented to the school. Emails that we send to her are responded to Lapromptly and she takes ownership of issues our student faces and makes sure they are resolved. McCallum is a big school with lots of students, but Ms. Henderson has made our family feel like we are getting very individualized attention for our daughter. We are so grateful for her warm welcome to McCallum!

• Gabe Adame - My student was temporarily assigned to Mr. Adame as her AP during a staffing gap in administration at MFAA, and he was incredibly responsive over the summer to our concern about a missing course credit from the previous semester. He offered quick and clear communication and helped us resolve the issue. We appreciate his attention and his reassuring and straightforward communication style. We never had to doubt that the problem would be resolved or wonder about the timeline. All this on top of his regular student load!

• Lavonda Loney - Lavonda went out of her way on the day before school started to help me navigate a complex issue and set my mind at ease. On a busy day in a hot and chaotic office she was kind, knowledgeable and willing to drop what she was doing to help me.

• Audrea Moyers - I overheard a student reassuring an incoming freshman about principals of applied engineering say, “Ms Moyers is a really good teacher and teaches the class very well”.

Thank you for sharing how our staff postively impacted your student's life. Keep those RAVEs coming! Click here to submit a RAVE.

As you know, research shows a direct connection between student attendance and academic achievement. When students are in class consistently, they’re more likely to stay on track, stay engaged, and succeed both in the short term and throughout their high school journey.

Yesterday our district sent out attendance warning letters to families of students who are showing patterns that may lead to chronic absenteeism. These letters are generated automatically when a student’s attendance data shows concerning trends, both within a single week and over multiple weeks. If you received one of these letters, please reach out to your student's AP with any questions or concerns.

While we’re on the topic, it’s important to revisit credit denial, an AISD policy that was reinstated last school year in response to declining attendance rates in high school. Under this policy, if a student misses 10% or more of their classes, they will not receive credit for that course, even if they are passing academically. At the high school level, earning credit is essential, as it's the key to progressing toward graduation. Many students are surprised to learn that just four absences in a semester can put them over the 10% threshold. Every day truly counts.

Click here to see a list of which absences count toward credit denial.

Students who are at risk of losing credit due to absences should reach out to their Assistant Principal (AP) as soon as possible to explore next steps.

Our attendance rate last week was just under 94%, and we’re grateful to everyone working hard to show up each day. We also know there are several illnesses making their way around campus right now. If your student is sick, please keep them home to rest and recover, and don’t forget to send a note when they return. AISD’s return-to-school protocol general guidelines: Students must be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication and show a general improvement in symptoms before returning to school. This helps keep our whole community healthy while ensuring students return as soon as they’re ready.

Let’s work together to keep attendance strong and help every student stay on the path to success!

Here is how:

1) Sign up for one (or more) staff members.  Shhhhh… keep this a SECRET until Teacher Appreciation Week in May.

2) Drop off a small token of appreciation for your pal(s) to the office each month.  A student aide will deliver it.  I’ll send out monthly reminders so don’t worry about forgetting.

3) Mac staff members complete a “favorites” form to help with gift ideas. If you don’t see your pal on the list, it means they haven’t completed a form… yet. Start start giving generic gifts (like chips, cookies, thank you notes…) until they provide more specific ideas.

4) During Teacher Appreciation Week in May, you will make your last delivery AND reveal your identity!

If you have any questions, email Arin Fullerton at fullertonarin@gmail.com.

McCallum has two exciting educational travel opportunities coming up. Mr. Webster is hosting a trip to Ireland & Scotland in summer 2026 and Ms. Noack is hosting the Marine Conservation Service Learning in the Dominican Republic in summer 2027. Both of these trips are excellent opportunities for your child to have an educational experience outside the classroom, and can be a great topic for college entry essays one day! We encourage you to come see what the kids are talking about at our parent meeting this coming Wednesday, September 17th @ 6:15 pm in the McCallum Library.

Please RSVP using the QR codes below, or click the links. (both trips will be presented at the same meeting)

Service Learning in the DR: https://bit.ly/4p5s7O6

Ireland/Scotland: https://rsvp.eftours.com/es4pcfv

Thank you to all our parents, students, and staff for taking the time to read this week’s edition of the Weekend Update. I appreciate your continued support and partnership in making McCallum a great place to learn and grow.

While our tardy policy remains largely the same, most of it has been in place for the past three years, this year we are placing a stronger emphasis on early communication and student accountability.

One key update: when a student is tardy to the same class for a second time, we are asking teachers to call home. Our goal is to address patterns early and work in partnership with families to support students in developing strong habits that contribute to academic success.

The chart above outlines our school’s tiered response for students who consistently struggle with getting to class on time. It’s important to note that our approach is not simply about consequences, but about identifying challenges and supporting students in making improvements.

We also want to acknowledge concerns some students have expressed about hallway congestion. Our administrative team is aware of these challenges, and we are committed to taking individual circumstances into account when reviewing tardiness.

As we move forward, our assistant principals will begin having one-on-one conversations with students this week. We want all students to understand the value of punctuality, not just in school, but as a life skill. Let’s continue working together to build habits that support learning, responsibility, and success.

We’re excited to relaunch our Flexible Instructional Time (FIT) program starting Wednesday, September 10th. This year, we’ll continue using the MyHomework platform for FIT session sign-ups, just as we did during the spring semester.

Students will choose their FIT sessions during academic advising with their Round Table teacher on Mondays and Tuesdays. To ensure everyone is prepared, students received training on how to use MyHomework and reviewed FIT expectations during advisory on Friday, September 5th.

FIT is designed to provide targeted instructional support, giving students dedicated time to catch up on assignments, seek academic help, or extend their learning. At the same time, FIT is a great opportunity for clubs and student groups to meet and collaborate during designated times.

This year, all students are required to attend a class during each FIT session. FIT will take place every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, with the following structure:

• Wednesdays are reserved exclusively for academic support sessions.

• Thursdays and Fridays may include both academic sessions and approved club or student group meetings.

We’re looking forward to a successful rollout of FIT and appreciate everyone’s effort to make this time purposeful and productive for all students.

The simplest way to check your student out of school is to send a written note to the front office before the school day begins.

The note must include:

• Student's full name

• Student ID number

• Date and time of early dismissal

• Parent/guardian name and phone number

• Parent/guardian signature

Your student should bring the note to the office before school. They’ll receive a pass to leave class at the designated time and can head straight out—no waiting required.

With ongoing construction, limited parking, and our large campus, this method is the most efficient option.

Please note: Our front office is temporarily relocated to the library. Parents can access this space through the double blue doors in the circle drive.

No note? A parent/guardian (or someone listed on the student’s pickup list) must come to the office with ID to check out the student. Please allow extra time for the student to be called from class.

Returning the same day? Students must check back in at the front office.

Reminder: Pickup notes do not excuse absences. For full attendance information, visit:
https://mccallum.austinschools.org/department/attendance

Need to recover credits or get back on track? Our Twilight Program for the Fall Semester runs from October 21st to December 10th, every Tuesday and Wednesday from 4:45–6:15 PM in Room 154. This is a great opportunity for students to make up credits in a focused, supportive environment. Don’t miss out, take advantage of this chance to stay on the path to graduation!

Mental Health - https://forms.gle/ikZ6QsG4DrJ8wnjZ8

Club form - https://forms.gle/Jmevft7F1EMctgPW7

Physical health - https://forms.gle/3kgQb5NQkReLUyT56

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!

It’s important you know your student’s support team - their Assistant Principal and Counselor. We have a few changes to our team this year.  

Principal of McCallum - Andy Baxa: andy.baxa@austinisd.org

Students not in the Fine Arts Academy - List of Assistant Principals

Last Names A - GO Gabriel Adame (Assistant Principal): gabriel.adame@austinisd.org 

Last Names GP - PA Larry Featherstone (Assistant Principal): larry.featherstone@austinisd.org 

Last Names PE - Z Lavonda Loney (Assistant Principal): lavonda.loney@austinisd.org 

Students not in the Fine Arts Academy - List of Counselors

Last Names (A-E) Loren Croom: loren.croom@austinisd.org 

Last Names (F-LH) Nicollette Muller: nicollette.muller@austinisd.org 

Last Names (LI-RN) Cristela Garcia: cristela.garcia@austinisd.org

Last Names (RO-Z) Marc Garcia: marc.garcia@austinisd.org

All Students in the Fine Arts Academy:

Teri Kirby (Associate Principal): teri.kirby@austinisd.org

Shelley Goldstein (Counselor): shelley.goldstein@austinisd.org

Additional Supports:

• 504 Coordinator - Jennifer Padron - jennifer.padron@austinisd.org 

• College and Career Counselor - Camille Nix - camille.nix@austinisd.org 

• AP/PSAT Coordinator - Lisa Gorzell - lisa.gorzell@austinisd.org

• Principal’s Admin Assistant - Bonnie Baker - bonnie.baker@austinisd.org 

• Guidance Secretary - Tonya Moore  - tonya.moore@austinisd.org