Seniors

Senior Countdown of Events

Know of other important dates or events not below?

Please contact Bonnie Baker at bonnie.baker@austinisd.org with your suggestions.

Cap & Gowns

Cap and gown delivery in the cafeteria on Thursday, April 2^nd (8:30 am-1:30 pm) in the cafeteria. 

Order your cap and gown and other official grad supplies.  Our graduation provider is Herff Jones.

Final Exam Information for Seniors

Attention Class of 2026! Please note that Senior Exams have been moved up this spring. Finals will now begin on Tuesday, May 19th, and conclude on Friday, May 22nd. While exams will be finished, the fun isn't over! We have a full slate of daily activities planned for your final week of school. Please remember that participation in these events is required, as they will account for your student attendance leading up to graduation. We will go over the full schedule and all specific details during our Senior Meeting this Wednesday during FIT in the MAC Theater. See you there!

Seniors will take their exams during the normal class period. We will not adjust our bell schedule to accommodate senior finals.

Seniors will be expected to attend all classes during that week.

Senior Exam Schedule

Tuesday, May 19th - 7th and 8th period finals

Wednesday May 20th - 3rd and 4th period finals

Thursday, May 21st - 5th and 6th period finals

Friday, May 22nd - 1st and 2nd period finals (first day of finals for all students, half days begin)

We will have a series of senior events the last week of school to capture their attendance.

Graduation

Event Date & Time:Fri. May 29th at 4pm

Location: Burger Arena @ 3200 Jones Rd

No tickets are required to attend graduation but we ask that seniors not invite more than 8 family members/guests.

The McCallum graduation ceremony will take place in-doors at Burger Activity Center.

Seniors should arrive one hour before the start of graduation.

Quick Facts:

• Indoor Ceremony

• No tickets required 

Shuttle Service to Graduation from McCallum (seats are limited- you will need to complete the form below):

Any students and families who need a ride to the graduation ceremony at Burger Arena, a shuttle bus will arrive at 2pm at McCallum and will provide transportation to and from Burger. Buses will leave at 2:30pm. Please fill out this form if you and your family will be taking the shuttle. Seats are limited, so first-come, first-served. 

You will need to pay to park at Burger Center:

Parking can be purchased using this link

Due to the increasing cost of graduation ceremonies, AISD is introducing paid parking.

• Pre-paid parking will be $15, and parking on the day of the event will be $20; parking can be purchased using this link.
   
• If you need ADA parking, please arrive early. ADA parking at Burger Stadium will be available on both sides of the stadium on a first-come, first-served basis.

Where seniors need to be dropped off for graduation:

Parents - before parking your vehicle to attend the ceremony, please drop off your students on the 290 side of Burger Activity Center, NOT Jones Rd. Rideshare/student drop-off/pick-up locations will be at Stout House Coffee and Sunset Valley Elementary School.

American Sign Language will be available on the livestream and in person at the ceremony. Families needing these services will be ushered to sit in the first row of seats in-between entries 3 and 4. Language translation will be accessible via QR on the graduation program. 

ADA seating will be the first two to three rows of seating all around the arena. Ushers will lead family members to those areas. If your family has a mobility-impaired person, please designate one companion to accompany them at their seat; the rest of the family will be asked to sit in the rows behind the ADA seating. 

After the ceremony, graduates will exit out of entries 2 & 3. Parents will wait for seniors to finish leaving and then leave out the same way–entries 2 and 3–where they can meet their graduates alongside the baseball field. 

The ceremony is expected to last two hours, and students must arrive by 2:30pm to check in. We advise seniors to bring some sort of portable/handheld fan. The dress code is business casual (including shoes!) Caps are NOT allowed to be decorated per AISD policy. 

Caps and Gowns can still be ordered. The late fee ($10 additional dollars) will take effect on April 10^th. Herff Jones will have a table underneath Burger Stadium in case you still have any cap and gown needs. https://txgrad.com/mccallum-high-school/

We have a limited number of donated caps and gowns available for families who may not have the financial means to purchase them; if you need assistance or have questions regarding this resource, please contact Dr. Jodi Denyszyn (jodi.denyszyn@austinisd.org) or Mr. Gabriel Adame (gabriel.adame@austinisd.org). 

College Prep, Applications, and FAFSA

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.

Getting started with FAFSA Application 

The '26-'27 FAFSA Application is officially open! You can access the application through the studentaid.gov website, and create the student FSA ID if you have not done so.

Step One: Create student FSA ID (You will receive an email from the federal government once your ID has been fully established). 

Step Two: You can then complete the FAFSA application in the STUDENT account for year 26-27 in its entirety. Student will invite parent and then parent creates FSA ID to be able to complete their portion.

Here are the updates:

1. The students will no longer need to know their parents DOB, social security, or address.

2. The student only needs to know their parent(s) email address for the contributor section.

3. Parent(s) will receive the invitation via email then they can create their FSA ID if they do not have one.  

4. If parents are married and file jointly, only one parent needs an FSA ID. 

5. Pell grant still strong. Workforce pell grant still exists. No changes to subsidized loans. No changes in definition of full-time enrollment for a student. YAY!

Rising Seniors, Class of 2027

Class Sponsor- Amy Brodbeck

amy.brodbeck@austinisd.org