MCHS will be closed due to inclement weather on Tuesday, which was supposed to be the first day of second semester.  This includes both the Upper Campus and Freshman Campus.

According to the National Weather Service, there is a hazardous weather outlook for portions of North Central Illinois with heavy, wet snow, and dangerous travel conditions expected. This alert was sent out before the school day was canceled. 

“All after-school activities, athletic practices, and programs have also been canceled,” said a district email sent out to parents and students. “The Athletic Director will notify coaches of the status of any scheduled athletic competitions.”

There will not be a digital school day because the second semester has not officially begun with the students. 

“Starting on Wednesday (hopefully) makes for a clean start,” stated Dr. Jeff Prickett, Upper Campus’s principal. “It is really not ideal to start a new semester and new classes without being in person.”

Emergency school closing decisions are made based on many other factors — roads, buses, temperatures, snowfall, and high winds. All of these factors make for a dangerous situation for teachers and students, stated Prickett. 

“I feel that it is good that we have a snow day because I was very anxious about the snow becoming bad while at school tomorrow,” stated Molly Lewakowski, a senior at MCHS. 

Other districts around MCHS, including nearby high school districts and McHenry’s elementary and middle schools, have also canceled school for tomorrow. 

“Our feeder schools, like District 15, have a definite impact on whether or not we call off,” continued Prickett. “Many high school students have younger brothers and sisters, making child care issues challenging.”

Delays at the end of the semester is not unfamiliar to MCHS. Last school year, the district announced a snow day at the end of first semester, which moved the second day of finals to January.