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McCallum High School

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Coordinates: 30°19′33″N 97°43′49″W / 30.32583°N 97.73028°W / 30.32583; -97.73028
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(Redirected from McCallum Fine Arts Academy)
Not to be confused with McCollum High School.
A.N. McCallum High School
Address
Map
5600 Sunshine Drive

Austin, Texas

Austin
,
Travis
78756

United States
Information
Opened1953
School districtAustin Independent School District
PrincipalAndy Baxa
Grades9-12
Enrollment1,861 (2023[1])
Color(s)Royal Blue and Grey
Athletics conferenceUIL
MascotKnight
NicknameMAC
Team nameThe Knights, Lady Knights
RivalAnderson HS
PublicationExcalibur (Literary Magazine)
NewspaperThe Shield
YearbookThe Knight
Websitemccallum.austinschools.org

A. N. McCallum High School is a public high school in Austin, Texas, United States.

McCallum, the second oldest high school in the Austin Independent School District (formerly known as Austin Public Schools prior to desegregation in 1971), opened in 1953 to relieve growth in north and northwest Austin. Named after AISD's first high school superintendent, A.N. McCallum,[2] the school strives to reflect the initiatives and achievements of its namesake.

In 1994, McCallum motioned to make its campus the home of AISD's Fine Arts Academy. Currently, the Fine Arts Academy is open to all students in AISD who wish to attend, given that they are accepted following an admissions process. Current fine arts strands include visual arts, dance, theatre (acting/performance and technical), cinematic arts, voice, and instrumental music (band, orchestra, classical guitar, and collaborative piano). The Fine Arts Academy was recently named the 2015 Grammy Foundation's National Signature School, the lone recipient out of thousands of fine arts high schools in the country. McCallum had previously ranked as a Signature School Finalist in 2005, a decade before winning the highest award possible.[3]

Topping the list of thirteen high schools in the country, McCallum's recognition as the National Signature School earned the music program $5,000 from the Grammy Foundation and the Grammy In The Schools program. As recipient of the Foundation's Gold Award, McCallum High School earned the title of best music program in a public U.S. high school through making outstanding commitments to arts education throughout an academic school year.[4] Student ensembles benefitting directly from this award included concert band, choral ensemble, orchestra, classical guitar ensemble, jazz band, and steel pan ensemble.[5]

History

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Plans for a new high school campus in North Austin began as early as 1947[6] and were formalized at the Austin School Board meeting on May 9, 1949.[7] At that time, the only (white) high school campus in town was Stephen F. Austin High School, which, prior to expansion, was simply known as "Austin High".[6] With Austin High's population approaching 3000 students,[6] the board perceived the need to expand in order to support the city's post-war population boom. McCallum High School was designed by the architecture firm Page Southerland Page,[6] which was founded by Charles Henry Page, and which also designed several other historic structures in the Austin area. Construction began in March 1951[8] at a total cost of $1.4M,[8] or $11.88 per square foot, and the school's first classes were held on September 8, 1953.[6] At its opening, initial enrollment was 1,336 students, of which 683 were in grades 9-12, and there were 62 total teaching, administrative and clerical staff.[6]

In 1956 the first African-American student began attending McCallum as part of desegregation; a total of 13 black students attended white high schools in AISD at that time.[9] In 1994, the Fine Arts Academy enrolled 17 students, and now has over 500 students. The Academy gained visibility as its own entity within the high school with a professionally designed logo, creation and maintenance of the Academy website, and increased social media coverage.[10]

In 2004, McCallum High School band performed at ceremony which Mayor Will Wynn proclaimed Oct. 25 Mangiasaurus Day.[11]

In 2009, portions of the film Bandslam featuring Vanessa Hudgens and Lisa Kudrow were filmed on the McCallum campus.[12]

In 2011, the high school campus welcomed a new building to the campus, the "MAC" or McCallum Arts Center. This facility houses three new art classrooms and a 500-seat theatre and technical theater shop space. This was the venue used for the 20th anniversary of the Fine Arts Academy in 2014.

On May 7, 2015, nine-time Grammy award-winner Ray Benson of Asleep At The Wheel, performed at the evening reception for students, families, school administrators, and local press.

In April 2023, local news station KXAN-TV reported on an incident at McCallum in which a raccoon fell from the ceiling into a classroom.[13] The story was subsequently picked up and run nationally by the New York Post,[14] Fox News[15] and HuffPost,[16] and the raccoon became a popular meme among students.

In May 2023, The Hershey Company began airing a television commercial that was filmed on the McCallum campus and that features McCallum students and staff.[17]

Feeder patterns

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McCallum has the following feeder pattern:[18]

  • Kealing Middle School
    • Campbell Elementary
    • Lee Elementary
    • Maplewood Elementary
  • Lamar Middle School
    • Brentwood Elementary
    • Gullett Elementary
    • Highland Park Elementary
    • Reilly Elementary
    • Ridgetop Elementary
  • Webb Middle School
    • Reilly Elementary

Academics

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McCallum participates in the College Board Advanced Placement (AP) program and offers approximately 25[19] AP courses in addition to various dual enrollment opportunities. It is ranked among the top 5%[20] of public high schools nationally by Niche and among the top 10%[21] nationally by US News & World Report. McCallum received the highest overall accountability rating ("A") from the Texas Education Agency with distinction designations in "Academic Achievement in English Language Arts/Reading" and "Academic Achievement in Social Studies".[22]

The McCallum student newspaper ("The Shield") was one of five such publications statewide to win "Gold" at the 2023 ILPC ("Interscholastic League Press Conference") and McCallum was one of three high schools to earn a "Gold" designation for its online news offerings.[23] Twenty-one McCallum students were named to the 2023 ILPC All-State journalism staff, the most from any Texas high school and one eighth of the statewide total.[24] Twenty students were named to the ILPC All-State staff in 2024, once again the most from any Texas high school.[25] A McCallum student was named 2024 National Journalist of the Year[26] by the Journalism Education Association. McCallum also won the Staff Excellence Blue and Gold Award for scoring the most points across all categories at Quill and Scroll's 2024 International Writing, Photo and Multimedia Contest.[27]

Performing Arts

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From the 2008-2009 school year to the 2023-2024 school year McCallum produced no fewer than six Texas Music Educators Association All-State ensemble qualifiers each year, with 136 total qualifiers over the sixteen year period: the most of any Austin ISD campus.[28]

The McCallum marching band has reached the finals of the Texas UIL State Marching Band Competition three times (2021, 1980, 1979) and has reached the preliminary round an additional three times (2019, 2017, 2005).[29]

Athletics

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State championship appearances:

  • Baseball[30]
    • 1956 (2A), 1997 (4A)
  • Boys' Basketball[31]
    • 1966 (4A), 1992 (4A)
  • Boys' Golf[32]
    • 1980 (4A)
  • Volleyball[33]
    • 1994 (4A), 1997 (4A)

Notable alumni

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References

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  1. ^ "Overview: McCallum High School". Austin Independent School District.
  2. ^ "McCallum, Arthur Newell, Sr". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  3. ^ "Awards and Accomplishments". McCallum High School. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  4. ^ "Announcing The 2015 GRAMMY Signature Schools". The GRAMMYs. Retrieved 2018-02-26.
  5. ^ "Achievements: McCallum High receives Grammy Award". mystatesman. Retrieved 2018-02-26.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "Austin School System Swings into New Era". Austin American Statesman. Aug 25, 1953. ProQuest 1559357150. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  7. ^ "FOUR NEW HIGH SCHOOLS PROPOSED HERE". Austin American Statesman. May 10, 1949. ProQuest 1563575858. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Construction Starting Soon on McCallum". Austin American Statesman. Feb 19, 1952. ProQuest 1559409838. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  9. ^ "Five Decades of Social Change: A Timeline." Austin Public Library. Retrieved on June 6, 2016.
  10. ^ "Awards and Accomplishments". McCallum High School. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  11. ^ Dunbar, Wells (October 29, 2004). "Naked City". www.austinchronicle.com. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  12. ^ "Bandslam". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Raccoons are running through McCallum High School". Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  14. ^ "Raccoon falls through ceiling during class after pests invade Texas high school". Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Raccoon falls through classroom ceiling as animals overrun Texas high school". Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  16. ^ "Raccoon Falls Through Classroom Ceiling At Texas High School". Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  17. ^ "Hershey's Bob 90 FINAL". Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  18. ^ "2023-2024 District Feeder Patterns" (PDF). Austin ISD. October 12, 2023. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  19. ^ "2022 - 2023 AP Information". mccallum.austinschools.org. Retrieved 28 Feb 2023.
  20. ^ "McCallum High School Rankings". www.niche.com. Retrieved 28 Feb 2023.
  21. ^ "McCallum High School". www.usnews.com. Retrieved 28 Feb 2023.
  22. ^ "2022 School Report Card" (PDF). www.austinisd.org. Retrieved 28 Feb 2023.
  23. ^ "ILPC Results". Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  24. ^ "2023 All-State Journalism Staff" (PDF). Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  25. ^ "2024 All-State Journalism Staff" (PDF). Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  26. ^ "JEA names Alice Scott of Texas as 2024 Journalist of the Year". Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  27. ^ "2024 Writing, Photo, Multimedia Contest results". Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  28. ^ "All-State Historical Rosters". Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  29. ^ "Marching Band State Leaderboard". Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  30. ^ "Baseball All-Time Appearances". uiltexas.org. Retrieved 28 Feb 2023.
  31. ^ "Basketball All Time Appearances". uiltexas.org. Retrieved 28 Feb 2023.
  32. ^ "Golf All-Time Appearances". uiltexas.org. Retrieved 28 Feb 2023.
  33. ^ "Volleyball All-Time Appearances". uiltexas.org. Retrieved 28 Feb 2023.
  34. ^ "Jay Arnette". Basketball Reference. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  35. ^ Maher, John. "Wild Thing mellows out." Austin American-Statesman. February 18, 1996.
  36. ^ Duffey, Gene. "McCallum High's Belisle now pitching for Reds." Austin American-Statesman. April 10, 2005.
  37. ^ Lemon, Del. "Refined line Allen, on constant quest for better swing, gets help from Kite." Austin American-Statesman. May 10, 1990.
  38. ^ "Knifton, Mazzio-Manson named to USRowing Olympic Team". texassports.com. April 2024.
  39. ^ "Kaitlin Knifton". texassports.com. April 2024.
  40. ^ "Timothy L. Kopra" (PDF). NASA.gov. March 2016. Archived from the original on 22 December 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  41. ^ "Aline Mayagoitia - Biography". imdb.com. December 2023.
  42. ^ "Former McCallum student stars in "SIX" national tour opening this week with Broadway in Austin!". texasperformingarts.org. December 2023.
  43. ^ Cantu, Rick. "OFF THE BEATEN PATH." Austin American-Statesman. January 20, 2006.
  44. ^ "Elena Villalón, Soprano, Biography". operabase.com. April 2024.
  45. ^ "Ella Villalón to star as Susanna in Austin Opera's 'The Marriage of Figaro'". macshieldonline.com. April 2024.
  46. ^ Osborn, Claire. "McCallum junior takes `Dazed' fame in stride." Austin American-Statesman. October 7, 1993.
  47. ^ "Willie Zapalac". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
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30°19′33″N 97°43′49″W / 30.32583°N 97.73028°W / 30.32583; -97.73028

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