Weekend Update – From Principal Baxa

Calendar Highlights

• Monday, October 20th – Student Holiday, Parent Teacher Conference Day
• Tuesday, October 21st – PSAT Day at McCallum – 10th and 11th grade students
• Monday, November 3rd – CAC @ 5:30 pm and PTSA @ 6:30 pm, both meetings are held in the Library
• Tuesday, November 4th – Student Holiday/Staff Development

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

• MAC Football came away with a huge win last night in a hard-fought battle against Pflugerville Connally. In a game that went back and forth all night, the Knights clinched the victory with an epic 80-yard game-winning touchdown drive. This clutch performance keeps our playoff hopes alive and adds momentum heading into next week’s Homecoming Game against Liberty Hill on Friday night. Come out and cheer on the Knights!
• Attendance rates are back on the rise now that ACL has wrapped up! This week, our attendance climbed back above 94%, and we’re grateful for your support in reinforcing the importance of being at school every day. Consistent attendance plays a big role in student success, thank you for helping us keep that a priority!
• MAC Volleyball took a tough loss against district leader Anderson High School but bounced back with a strong sweep of Cedar Creek last night, keeping the Knights among the top teams in the district. This Tuesday, the Knights will face off against the Stars from Ann Richards in a special Senior Night match. It’s always an exciting and entertaining game, so come out to support our seniors and cheer on the Knights!
• Two MAC students, senior Lexi Niles Arguello and freshman Sawyer Kuhlken, are making a global impact as youth delegates and speakers at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi. Representing our school on the world stage, they are sharing their passion for conservation and inspiring positive change for the planet’s future. We’re incredibly proud of their leadership and dedication!
• Wishing the MAC Cross Country team the best of luck as they head to the regional meet in Huntsville on Monday! We’re proud of all your hard work and can’t wait to see you run strong and represent our school with pride.
• Halloween is coming up, and we want to inform you that students are allowed to dress up in school-appropriate costumes. Please keep in mind that costumes should not include anything that covers a student’s face or prevents staff from identifying them. Additionally, students are not permitted to bring any items that resemble weapons.
• We ask parents to please remind their students not to park in non-approved areas, including apartment complex lots near McCallum. We’ve received reports of students parking in these private lots, and it’s important for students to understand that doing so puts them at risk of having their cars towed. Thank you for helping us ensure everyone follows parking rules and keeps our community respectful.
• As we head into performance season, our Fine Arts department is already shining! This past week, we enjoyed stellar performances from the orchestra and our steel drum group. Looking ahead, our fall musical Between the Lines will open in early November. Parents and students are encouraged to check out the events page on the McCallum Fine Arts website to stay up to date on all upcoming performances and support our talented students!

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 3 RAVE submissions highlighting the outstanding work of our MAC team!

• Gabe Adame – I truly appreciate Mr. Adame helping my child work through a difficult situation.
• Andra McDougal – Andra has gone above and beyond to ensure the safety of our middle school athletes. She took time out of her day to make sure each athlete had the proper forms and permissions to participate, and she personally sat down with parents and guardians to help them complete the necessary paperwork, so their children could play. We are truly grateful to have her as part of Austin ISD.
• Camille Nix – Moments after she pressed to submit college applications, I asked my senior if she felt relieved, if it had been a stressful experience to go through the process. Her reply: “Not really – Ms. Nix makes it easy!” Thank you Ms.Nix!

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