Welcome Back, Knights!

We’re excited to welcome all of our students back to campus for the 2025–2026 school year! The first day of school is Tuesday, August 19th, and we’re looking forward to a great start filled with energy, learning, and connection.

Student schedules are now available and can be accessed through each student's AISD Portal account. We encourage students to log in and review their schedules before the first day to ensure a smooth start.

This year, McCallum will begin implementing House Bill 1481, which impacts how personal devices are used during the school day. Under this new law, students are required to turn off their phones and keep them secured in their bags throughout the school day. In addition, only school-issued Chromebooks may be used on campus—personal laptops or tablets will not be permitted for classroom use.

AISD has provided a detailed letter outlining HB 1481 and what it means for students and families. You can read it here.

Additionally, the Annual AHERA Asbestos Management Notification and Integrated Pest Management Letters are also available for viewing at this link.

We appreciate your support as we work to create a safe, focused, and engaging learning environment. Let’s make it a fantastic year!

Calendar Highlights

• Tuesday, August 19th, First Day of School

• 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

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

• I am proud to announce that McCallum High School has maintained its A rating in the recently released 2024 and 2025 accountability ratings. This achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of our students, staff, and community. Click here to read more.

• REMINDER ABOUT BUILDING ACCESS: McCallum is under construction! We will need to adjust the way students enter the building, especially those who ride the school bus.

  • Students who ride the school bus will enter the school through the World Language Hallway (look for signs along Sunshine Dr.).

  • Parents who need to conduct school business will enter the Library through the double blue doors off of the circle drive.

  • No one will enter through the main entrance by the flagpoles until the front office construction is complete (predicted to finish in October).

• Please take a moment to talk with your students about House Bill 1481. We understand that some families may have concerns about limited access to students during the school day. However, we strongly believe that the benefits of a device-free learning environment are immeasurable and will support deeper focus, engagement, and connection in the classroom.

• We’re excited to announce a change to our pep rally schedule this year! Pep rallies will now take place during the FIT period between 1st and 2nd blocks, instead of at the end of the day. We know this is a big shift, but we believe that holding pep rallies midday could lead to increased student participation and help create a more festive, spirited atmosphere throughout the rest of the day. We can’t wait to bring the energy and celebrate our Knights, right in the heart of the school day!

• Students can now view an updated version of the McCallum campus map using this link. This is a great way to get familiar with your schedule and locate your classes before the first day. Whether you're new to campus or just want a quick refresher, the map is a helpful tool to start the year off right!

We are so excited to welcome our students back to campus for the 2025–2026 school year on Tuesday, August 19th!

To help ensure a smooth start, here are our first day procedures for all students:

9th Grade (Freshmen):
All incoming freshmen will report directly to the MAC Theater at the start of the day. The MAC is located on the north end of campus near the intersection of Stark and Sunshine. We’ll kick things off with a special welcome event just for 9th graders; a great way to start your high school journey!

10th–12th Grade:
Students in grades 10–12 will report to their alpha advisory classrooms to receive a printed copy of their schedule and review important information for the new year.

Need to Know Where to Go?
We’ll post lists in the hallways that morning to help students find their assigned advisory classrooms.

Let’s start the year off strong—see you Tuesday, Knights!

Back to School Knight is Monday, August 25th. We invite you to come walk a mile in your student’s shoes by experiencing a shortened C-day schedule. You will have the chance to meet each of your child’s teachers and learn a little more about each class. Below is our schedule for the night.

Back to School Knight Schedule 2025

• 5:15-6:00 - Club and Organization Fair in the cafeteria

• 6:00 - 6:20 - All Parent Assembly in the gym

6:30 - 8:25 - Meet the Teachers:

• 6:30 - 6:38 - 1st Period

  • Blue Brigade will meet in Room 121   

  • Football will meet in the Cafeteria

• 6:44 -6:52 - 2nd Period

  • Wrestling will meet in the Cafeteria

• 6:58 - 7:06 - 3rd Period

  • Boys Soccer will meet in the Cafeteria

• 7:12 - 7:20 - 4th Period

  • Volleyball will meet in Room 106 

  • Baseball will meet in Portable P-14

  • Cheer will meet in Room 140

  • Girls Soccer will meet in Room 126

• 7:26 - 7:34 - 5th Period

  • Football will meet in the Cafeteria

• 7:40 - 7:48 - 6th Period

• 7:54 - 8:02 - 7th Period

  • Boys Soccer will meet in the Cafeteria

• 8:08 - 8:16 - 8th Period

  • Volleyball will meet in Room 106

  • Baseball will meet in Portable P-14

  • Girls Soccer will meet in Room 126

Click here for a copy of the campus map.

Hey Mac families! Don't miss out! College 101 Knight hosted by our College Counselor, Camille Nix, will be held September 2 at 6:30 pm in the cafeteria. What is College 101 and who is its intended audience? This session is geared mostly for senior parents who need the "nuts and bolts" of the application process, want information on the college application process, letters of recommendation, strategies for choosing a college, how to use Naviance in the college application process and the FAFSA. Of course, anyone is welcome!

Are you the parent or guardian of a freshman student or new to AISD?

If so, High School 101, presented by the McCallum Counseling Team, is the perfect event for you. This informative session will take place on Tuesday, September 9th at 6:00 PM in the McCallum Cafeteria. Our counselors will guide you through everything you need to know to help your student navigate high school successfully—from four-year academic planning to practical tips for supporting your student and much more. It’s a great opportunity to get your questions answered and feel more confident about the high school journey. We hope to see you there!

Over the summer, the University Interscholastic League (UIL) announced its 2025 All-State Journalism Staff, and this week, we’re proud to share that 17 members of the Shield staff have earned All-State recognition—the most of any high school newspaper staff in Texas!

To qualify for All-State, student journalists must accumulate 50 or more points through competitions at the local, regional, state, and national levels. This year, 245 students statewide were recognized across yearbook, newspaper, online news, and broadcast categories.

Congratulations to the following Shield staff members named to the 2025 All-State team:

JoJo Barnard, Julia Copas, Shila Gill, Lillian Gray, Chloe Lewcock, Beatrix Lozach, Sophia Manos, Josie Mullan, Elizabeth Nation, Mira Patel, Callen Romell, Sofia Saucedo, Maya Tackett, Priya Thoppil, Camilla Vandegrift, Wren Vanderford, and Nate Williams

We are incredibly proud of our Shield team for their dedication, talent, and excellence in student journalism.

Go Knights!

Get ready, Knights fans! The highly anticipated Shoal Creek Showdown returns as McCallum renews its rivalry with Anderson High School in an exciting season opener. Come out and cheer on the Knights football team as they kick off the 2025 season with pride, tradition, and school spirit!

Game Day: Thursday, August 28th @ 7:30 pm
Location: House Park

New Ticketing Platform for 2025–2026
This year, AISD athletics is using HomeTown Ticketing for all event ticket sales. Each campus now has a custom QR code, making it easy for students, families, and fans to access tickets.

Season Passes Available for Football (Home Games Only)
Fans can now purchase a season pass for football, valid for McCallum HOME games only. Please note: if McCallum is playing as the visiting team—even at another AISD campus—fans will still need to purchase individual tickets for those games, just like you would for WHS, Lake Travis, or any other opponent.

Volleyball Season Pass Coming Soon!
AISD is actively working on launching the volleyball season pass—stay tuned for more details!

General Ticket Link:
https://events.hometownticketing.com/

Need Help?
Check out the support page: https://www.hometownticketing.com/support/

Let’s pack the stands and show up strong—see you at the Shoal Creek Showdown!

Has a McCallum High School staff member gone above and beyond to make a difference? Nominate them for a RAVE Award (Recognizing All Valuable Employees)! We love celebrating the dedication, kindness, and hard work of our amazing team—and we want to hear your stories!

AISD RAVE 

We want to keep you informed. There are many ways we communicate with families and students:

• MacJournalism - Our journalism program keeps us all informed through their MacJ posts on Instagram (@macjournalism). They rarely miss an event or an important announcement. Note: if you don’t have an Instagram account, the MacJournalism posts are worth getting an account and just following their posts. 

• Blend Announcements - Depending on the nature of the announcement, students and parents will receive Blend Announcements. 

• Morning Announcements - Our Mac Student Council does morning announcements, as well as a moment of silence and pledges, at the beginning of 2nd and 6th periods. 

• MacKnightly eNewsletter - Our wonderful Mac PTSA sends out a weekly newsletter called the MacKnightly Newsletter with important announcements. To sign up to receive this, please sign up at the bottom of this webpage: https://mccallumptsa.org/.

• Principal Update - I send a Principal Update (like this one) once a week. It serves to connect and highlight important information.

• Emails and Texts through Thrill Share - Thrill Share is the system used by AISD to send group emails and text messages. Occasionally, parents have accidentally opted out of receiving these by indicating they would like their email made private. To check your settings, go to your Portal, click on the tile “Frontline SIS Self-Serve”, click on the tab “Edit Contact Info”, and scroll down to check that you have indicated “No” to making your email private (unless, of course, you’d like to opt out of emails)

We are in the business of people. We can expect that there will be differences of opinion, misunderstandings, confusion in communication, etc. What do you do when something happens? Please follow these steps when addressing a concern or misunderstanding.

• STEP 1: As often as possible, we want our students to practice advocating for themselves. The first step in addressing a concern is to encourage your student to speak with their teacher. Most problems can be resolved at this level and it is great practice for students to become advocates in their own lives. 

• STEP 2: If you and your student feel there is still an issue, please email your teacher directly. You can find their contact information in the AISD Directory or by emailing through the Parent Portal Frontline Self-Service.

• STEP 3: The best next step is for the student or their parent to reach out to their support team of AP and/or counselor to help resolve the problem

• STEP 4: If you feel like your concern has not been addressed then please contact Mr. Baxa the school principal (andy.baxa@austinisd.org).

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.  

Students not in the Fine Arts Academy - List of APs

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 

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

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

Fall Austin Community College Dual Credit Update

Deadline to register for ACC courses has passed. Any student still working through this process with Mrs. Nix can continue to do so. Please check your email and if you have a personal email from her, please follow directions ASAP. If your student did not receive an email, then it means they did not complete the registration process with ACC and were dropped from the class. Students who were dropped will be enrolled in the appropriate course at McCallum. If you have any questions about ACC or college registration please contact Camille Nix.  

Senior Information

Class of 2026, are you ready? It is going to be a FUN year!

Ms. Nix will be running college prep sessions next week. Please check your email for details and sign up!

Here is a checklist of tasks to accomplish prior to graduation:

• Apply to four year or two year school, enlist in the military, or apply to the workforce

• Take and pass the Texas State Initiative exam (many of you are exempt - stay tuned for more info!)

• Complete the FAFSA or the opt-out form. Do not do this yet! It’s not time…but keep it on your list of things to do.

At McCallum, we believe every day counts. When students are present, they engage in meaningful learning, strengthen their skills, and build connections that support their success—especially in our rigorous academic, athletics, and fine arts programs. But did you know attendance also directly impacts our funding? In Texas, school budgets are based on daily student attendance, which means every day a student is here helps fund the teachers, arts programs, support services and resources that make McCallum exceptional.

As you plan medical, dental, or travel appointments for the school year, we encourage you to refer to the 2025–2026 Austin ISD calendar and try to schedule on student holidays whenever possible. Every instructional day counts toward your student’s learning and our school’s funding.

Helpful dates to consider:

• September 1

• September 22-23

• October 10

• October 13

• October 20

• November 4

• November 24-28

• December 22-31

• January 1-2

• January 5

• January 19

• February 16-17

• March 16-20

• March 31

• April 6

• May 25

Visit the McCallum attendance page for more information.

Students should come to school with a refillable water bottle, writing utensil, paper, fully charged Chromebook, and a backpack in which to put it all. If your student is new and doesn’t yet have an AISD issued Chromebook, please be on the lookout for an email with information on getting one. Teachers will communicate specific needs for their classes to their students during that first week of school.

Please be aware that Sunshine Drive is used by AISD buses for student drop-off and pick-up. For safety reasons, private vehicle pick-up is not allowed on Sunshine Drive between Houston and Stark in the afternoons. We strongly recommend coordinating a pick-up location with your student along Houston Street or Grover Avenue. Please avoid asking your student to cross the street to reach your vehicle, as this poses safety risks. This year, we are also beginning three major construction projects on campus, which will impact traffic patterns. These projects are exciting improvements for our school but will contribute to increased congestion during pick-up and drop-off times—especially in the first few weeks.

Let’s all be patient and treat one another with respect as we adjust to these changes and work together to get our students home safely.

The large lot right along Koenig is available after the band finishes practicing in the morning at 8:30ish. Students would need to move their cars immediately after school so the band can practice. The parking lot at the corner of Sunshine and Houston is our Senior Lot and is reserved for the class of 2026. Students will need to park along Sunshine or Grover if they cannot find space in one of the parking lots.

 There are two faculty parking lots that students are prohibited from using. The first faculty parking lot is located between the gym and the MAC building on the north side of campus. The second faculty parking lot is located off of Houston St. on the south side of campus. Students who park in the faculty lots may be towed at the owner's expense.

 I highly recommend carpooling when possible. Parking is very limited.

Volunteer at McCallum! -- Background Check Needed

Please consider volunteering at McCallum this year!

Volunteers–new and returning–will now be required to complete a new background check at the start of each school year. 

 Returning volunteers do not need to create a new account. They can simply sign in using their existing credentials to resubmit their background check.

Once you have completed the background check, you can sign up for front office volunteering at the link below. Or keep an eye out for other volunteer opportunities.

https://austinisd.voly.org/opportunity/view.html?id=107125

If you have any questions, contact sara.zettner@austinisd.org

Picking up your student -- Make it easy!

If you need to pick up your student during the school day, the best way is to send a written note to the front office

The note must include:

• student's full name 

• student ID

• date and time they are leaving

• parent/guardian name and phone number

• parent/guardian signature

Your student will need to bring this note to the office before school and they will be issued a pass. Your student will then show the pass to their teacher at the proper time and they can leave directly from class.

With the construction going on, the difficulty parking and the size of our school, this will be a much easier option. If you are unable to send in a written note, the parent/guardian or another person on the student's pickup list will need to come to the front office with their id and check out the student. In this case, please allow plenty of time for the student to be retrieved from class. 

Students who return the same day will need to check back in at the office.

Note: the pickup note does not count as an excuse note. See our website for more attendance information:

https://mccallum.austinschools.org/department/attendance

Thanks for taking the time to read the Principal Update. We are looking forward to another wonderful school year at McCallum. 

I will send out another message next week with more information on the start of the school year.

Go Knights!

Thank you,

Andy Baxa
Proud Principal
McCallum High School