It’s the First Day of School – How does this work?

MAV Camp: Our first day of school will be Wednesday, August 18th, and will be solely focused on welcoming all students back to campus and familiarizing everyone with the campus and all things McNeil! As students arrive on campus for the first day, they will be shown where to go to start their day at Mav Camp.

Items that will be covered during Mav Camp will be things like:

• Schedules 
• Building tour
• Technology pickup, help and support
• Information and details about Flex Time at McNeil
• ID Photos will taken
• Club fair to learn about the many different orgs on campus
• How to be a “Maverick” and other fun stuff

What is the schedule of classes every day?

Click here to view the daily bell schedule for the 2021-22 school year.

What does my student need the first day?

There are no overall school supply lists. Teachers will let you know what you need for each class as things get going and what items are needed for the classroom. 

My student has a Doctor appointment…what do I do?

Attendance processes are still the same. If a student is absent, please send an electronic note (email), if possible, to one of the MHS attendance specialists – Ms. Hernandez or Ms. Harrison. When students return to campus, parents must send a note with their student. When the student arrives, they will pick up a pass to leave class at the time specified in the parent note. A parent can enter the new main entrance and request for his/her student to be brought down to the front of the building.

Student Absences – How do I report absences?

You do not need to call the attendance office. If a student is absent, please send an electronic note (email), if possible, to one of the MHS attendance specialists – Ms. Hernandez or Ms. Harrison.  Or upon students returning to campus, you may have the student bring a note the next day and turn that into the attendance office. *It is very important to report absences to the attendance office in a timely fashion*

My student’s schedule is messed up…what happens now?

There are some circumstances where schedule changes can be allowed (Click here to view an overview). You will need to contact your counselor through the use of an electronic google form that the student will submit if a mistake was made on their schedule (e.g., you were placed in Spanish II, and you should be in Spanish I). The current Counselor alphabet breakdown, listing, and contact info can be viewed on the Counselors' website.

Flex Time – I keep hearing about this, what is it?

Flex Time is a 40 minute period carved out of every school day for students to have study hall, tutorials, enrichment, or whatever the student needs to work on. Flex Time is 10:35 – 11:15 a.m. each day. This is a GREAT way to use the time to get a jump on homework, projects or just reach out for extra help. Students have the choice of staying in their Flex Home Base (your home base changes daily), or they can alternatively sign up to go to any class available through the Flex Time Portal. Fridays are Club Days during Flex Time. It’s also a great idea to schedule doctor appointments around the Flex Time to minimize classes being missed. It can seem confusing or overwhelming, but students will get trained on the system and get used to it very quickly.

Tutorials

If the Flex Times for a specific class that’s needed are full, or the student needs something extra, there are also before and after school Tutorials available. Check with the teacher as well as the online tutorial schedule.

What is A/B Day and Double Blocked Classes?

Students do attend every class in their schedule every day. A Days cover Periods 1 – 4, and B Days cover Period 5 – 8. The A/B Day Calendar for 2021-2022 is listed here. Double Blocked classes are classes that are attended on both A & B days. Not to worry, this is another thing that students will become familiar with *very* quickly.

What are the office hours?

Office hours at McNeil are 8:15am – 4:30pm.

Student Drop Off/Pick up – Where is it and how long does it take?

School starts at 9:05 a.m. and ends at 4:20 p.m. See here for a map of drop off/pick up locations. The time is takes is subject to traffic…it can be either a brief process or VERY long, so put your patient pants on and be friendly in the parking lot. :D

How early can I drop my student off?

Unless there are pre-arranged appointments with staff members, students can enter the building starting at 8:15 a.m.

What’s the deal with lockers?

Access to school hallway lockers can be purchased, however, many students find them unnecessary. With the A/B Day block schedule and the sometimes significant distance between classes, they can be more time consuming than just carrying items in your backpack. If you are involved in certain athletics or other double blocked classes, you may have access to a locker through that class. If you are interested in purchasing access to a school locker, please visit Suite 1 for additional information.

My student has an athletic class – What do they wear? Where do they turn in physicals?

Each sport handles practice uniforms differently…and they will let you know in the first few days of practice. For physicals, UIL has allotted a ONE year change to the Pre-Participation Examinations (PPE) and Medical History (MH) requirements for the 2020/2021 school year. These changes have been made to assist in social distancing and to help reduce the workload of our frontline medical professionals. Athletes who have turned in a physical to their home campus in the past will ONLY be required to complete Medical history form and the regular UIL/RRISD forms online through RankOne. Please visit the RRISD RankOne website and either log in or create a new account through RRISD.

What if my student forgets something at home and needs it at school?

Visitors to campuses will be extremely limited, so dropping off items is discouraged when possible. If you do have an urgent item to drop off, label the item with your student’s name, grade, and ID#. Bring the item to the reception office, and the receptionist will let you know the next step.

How can a parent get a message to their student at school?

Student cell phone/text usage is sporadic during the day, depending on their classes. If you are not able to get in touch with students through cell phones and have an *urgent* message, call the main school line: 512-464-6300.

Is there a dress code in High School?

Yes, no hats in building, no tops with spaghetti straps, no short shorts, no sagging pants, no ripped clothing, and no inappropriate t-shirts. Please consult the Student Handbook for additional details.

Can students bring cell phones?

Cell phones can be used before school and after school. During class time, smart phones can be utilized as a technology device for instructional purposes, at the teacher’s discretion.

When is lunch, and how much is it?

Lunches start at 11:20 and run until 1:20pm. There are three lunches A, B, and C. Base lunch has been approved to be provided for free to all students through 2022. This applies to the basic cafeteria provided meal. A La Carte items are still available for purchase. Your 2nd period teacher will let you know which lunch you have so you know when to go. School lunches are paid for through the barcode on the student's ID and crediting money to that account can be made online through My School Bucks, or by access the My School Bucks account through the RRISD App. Payments can also be made with cash or check on campus.

Can students go off campus for lunch?

No, only seniors are allowed off campus for lunch.

What if my student loses their ID card?

Students can purchase a new ID card for $5.00. Please go to Suite 1 for assistance.

How do students know which bus to ride?

The quickest way to find your bus route is to go to the Transportation page of RRISD. The buses to return home will load up by the cafeteria.