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McHenry High School's student-written and -edited newspaper

The McHenry Messenger

McHenry High School's student-written and -edited newspaper

The McHenry Messenger

McHenry High School's student-written and -edited newspaper

The McHenry Messenger

Parents debate “critical race theory” at a meeting of the Placentia-Yorba Linda school board in 2021. Since COVID, parents have insisted on more rights over their childrens' public education, and school board meeting have been the battleground.

Opinion: ‘Parents’ rights’ may threaten students’ rights

Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor March 23, 2023

Angry parents continue to flood schools, each taking different approaches to induce change. Many resort to protesting while others take a more political route by running for a seat on the school board....

Communicating important information is a tough job for a high school, who has to keep students, staff, and parents in the loop of every major event and decision. Still, many stakeholders at MCHS wish communication from the district was clearer.

Partial disclosure

Kennedy Tetour, Managing Editor March 20, 2023

A student walks into class, hearing rumors of a snow day from students and staff alike. She opens her email only to find no update from administration. No email means no snow day but, with no update to...

Speaker Dr. Ferney Ramirez Hernandez talks to Spanish-speaking families during a special presentation about how to improve family relationships at the Upper Campus auditorium on Jan. 31.

MCHS hosts presentation for Spanish-speaking community members

Krystal Zamudio, Staff Writer February 9, 2023

On Jan. 31, MCHS hosted a presentation for the Spanish-speaking community in the auditorium at the Upper Campus. Speaker Dr. Ferney Ramirez Hernandez discussed the importance of improving family relationships. Dr....

When parents have access to grades, they can help students stay on track. But constant conversations about grades can also add pressure to students who are doing their best and struggling to keep their grades up.

Full access

Eli Frommes, Staff Writer December 19, 2022

A student falls behind on their homework and they say, “I'll do it later.” Then they start to say that on every assignment or they tell their parents that they finished it. When the parent checks in...

Community stakeholders — including students, parents and teachers —  have been invited to complete the Portrait of a Graduate survey in order to define the sort of student who graduates from MCHS.

MCHS develops Portrait of a Graduate

Grace Hunt, Freshman Campus Bureau Chief May 10, 2022

MCHS is working on a Portrait of a Graduate project that articulates outcome goals for all students who leave MCHS and become active participants in the community in order to reach success after graduation.  A...

A woman leaves a stuffed animal at a memorial at an entrance to Oxford High School on Dec. 1, following an active shooter situation at Oxford High School that left four students dead and multiple others with injuries.

Parents of Michigan shooter face involuntary manslaughter charges

Vanessa Moreno, Staff Writer December 7, 2021

OAKLAND COUNTY, MICH. — On Dec. 4, James and Jennifer Crumbley were detained by the Oakland County Sheriff’s office following a manhunt throughout Detroit, Michigan. This was after they failed to act...

There are many reasons why it is good for parents to have access to their student's grades and progress. But watching too closely doesn't provide students with opportunities to learn from their mistakes before consequences are handed down.

Opinion: Daily grade reminders to parents cause unnecessary stress

Nikki Sisson, Marketing Manager November 23, 2021

A student comes home from a long day of school, consisting of several quizzes. She feels she did poorly on one quiz, but knows she can fix it with corrections the next day. She decides to wait to tell...

Being a teenager is already stressful enough, and the pressure added by the pandemic has made it so much worse. When parents add to this stress by being too pushy, research shows that it can have a particularly negative effect for a teenager.

Opinion: Parents just don’t understand

Kyla Henige, Managing Editor January 26, 2021

A student wakes up to his alarm at 8:30 a.m., waking him up for his first class of the day starting at 9. While going through the school day, the student stresses about all his homework, helping his parents...

Elle is MCHS’s advice columnist. Email her at mchs.ask.elle@gmail.com.

Ask Elle: Coming out concerned

Elle Smith, Staff Writer January 13, 2021

Dear Elle: I have kind of a really big problem. I recently came out as bi to my family, and they have tried really hard to be accepting about it, but it clearly makes them uncomfortable. My mom has acted...

It's easy to get excited about all the food served during Thanksgiving, but some foods at the feast are better than others. Take cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes, which are the season's best.

Opinion: Don’t forget the cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes

Kaitlyn Wenzel, Staff Reporter November 24, 2020

What are the best foods during Thanksgiving one may ask? Well, we got the answer for you. This is why cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes are the best foods during Thanksgiving. Many people during Thanksgiving...

Author Stephen Chbosky wrote the novel "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" based on his own childhood in 1998. Chbosky wrote the screenplay and directed the 2012, which strikes the perfect tone as the world eases into the holidays.

Groovy Movies: You’re a wallflower

Kennedy Tetour, Arts and Entertainment Editor November 13, 2020

Now that COVID cases are going back up, and the earth is basically at a standstill once again, we are all desperate for some new content to immerse ourselves in so that we can all feel a little less alone....

Signs for local Illinois elections advertise candidates for senate, county board, and other national causes. First time voters around the country cast their ballots in this historical election on November 3.

Voting first, voting historically

Kaitlyn Wenzel, Staff Reporter November 12, 2020

This year has included many firsts, and for many seniors at MCHS, this has included their first time being able to vote in any presidential election. Most Americans considered this year's election as...

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