McHenry School District 15

Teacher Appreciation Week closed out fittingly this year with recognition teachers at the McHenry County Educators of the Year ceremony, hosted by the county's Regional Office of Education.

The McHenry School District 15 board rejected both of the bids for Landmark School Tuesday, citing a contingency clause added to the high bidder's document.

A city official said there are no plans "whatsoever" to demolish Landmark School in McHenry. But its pending sale still begs the question: What to do with the building that will sustain it?

McHenry School District 15 has begun running the legal ads needed to sell the 130-year-old Landmark School, with a bid opening date of March 3.

McHenry County schools joined districts throughout northern Illinois and called off school on Tuesday.

McHenry School District 15 is one of the few without a track and field for middle school-aged students, but that could change soon.

Take a look back at some of the biggest news stories of 2024 in the McHenry County area.

The McHenry City Council voted unanimously to protect Landmark School's exterior if the building is redeveloped in the future.

The McHenry Landmark Commission approved a measure Wednesday to give McHenry School District 15's Landmark School landmark status. Pending a city council vote, any future exterior changes to the building would require approval from the commission and council

Whooping cough cases continue to be on the rise in McHenry County, with the number of cases through October exceeding all of 2023 by more than double.

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, has been reported in two McHenry schools, and the countywide cases year to date are already double the number from all of last year.

Search our table to see what designation your McHenry County school received on the 2024 school report card.

This week, the Illinois State Board of Education released school- and district-level data showing what percentage of McHenry County students were considered proficient in math and reading last year. Check out this chart to see if that's an improvement over the prior year.

Students in Duker School’s SAIL and Adjusted Learning programs in McHenry are learning by doing – and by brewing.

McHenry's Landmark Commission gave landmark status to Landmark School in 1994 but now is eyeing new protections for the 130-year-old building now that its year-round school program is closing.

Sideline Squad – which aims to provide supervision and entertainment for children during siblings' sports events – will host its first kids club during the McHenry High School homecoming Friday.

The McHenry Police Department’s therapy K-9 Oakley was given a patch to honor Duker Elementary School beloved teacher, Emily Schilf after she died unexpectedly earlier this year.

Woodstock District 200 will be joining several other McHenry County school systems that are offering school bus-tracking apps.

A new school year has arrived in McHenry County with optimism, nerves, cautions.

The McHenry School District 15 board voted 4-1 with one abstain vote to close the 130-year-old landmark school at the end of the current school year

This could be Landmark’s last first day at the building as the District 15 Board of Education decides whether or not to spend millions of dollars to bring the building up to modern code and possibly close the school down.

Students in Crystal Lake-based School District 47 and McHenry-based School District 15 will have access to free mental health teletherapy sessions.

McHenry School District 15 held the last of three public hearings on the future of Landmark School and its programs, but it's unclear when a decision will come.

Parents, staff and students from the past and present testified Monday at the McHenry School District 15 public hearing on whether to close Landmark School. The 130 year-old-building may close at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.

The parent-teacher organization of McHenry's Landmark School met to strategize about how to keep the innovative, year-round school program alive after questions were raised about the cost of upgrading the 130-year-old building.

The McHenry School District 15 board voted this week to hold public hearings on the future of Landmark School, 3614 Waukegan Road, McHenry. The 130-year-old building houses the district's year-round school program now.

Among the McHenry District 15 grant-funded projects are a giant-sized version of the board game Battleship at Duker Middle School and expansion of the Parkland School Lego Camp.

Emily Schilf, the Learning Media Center director at McHenry's Chauncey H. Duker School, died unexpectedly on Jan. 24. She is remembered as a positive leader who helped to connect students to Oakley, the McHenry therapy dog, and other reading programs.

Most McHenry County school districts have shut down or moved to remote learning because of Friday's winter storm

The McHenry Elementary Education Foundation will host a craft and vendor fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at Parkland School, 1802 N. Ringwood Road in McHenry.

Disparities in absenteeism appear in most McHenry County school districts when the data are broken down by race and in comparing students with disabilities.

How did McHenry County schools do on their Illinois School Report Cards this year?

McHenry County school district administrators – both those with and without air conditioning in all of their buildings – are keeping an eye on the weather report for later this week. Crystal Lake District 47 already cancelled classes on Wednesday and Thursday at two schools.

Wednesday marked the first day of school for many McHenry County children, including in Crystal Lake, Woodstock and McHenry.

After nearly 30 years at its Green Street location, McHenry School District 15 is in new digs on Route 31, giving staff new opportunities for collaboration and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.

School and teacher supplies, including clothing and books, valued at $40,000, donated Thursday to McHenry's Hilltop Elementary School

An $11,000 grant for McHenry's Landmark School brings native wildflowers to campus, opens up future outdoor classroom for elementary school.

McHenry School District 15 school board President Chad Mihevc received the Distinguished Service Award of Excellence from the Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association.

“Proudly Bilingual" by McHenry School District 15 reading specialist Araseli Rodriguez has developed large fan base among educators and students.

The search for Huntley School District 158′s new top official is set to begin after current Superintendent Scott Rowe announced Thursday he is leaving the district.

Voters went to the polls on Tuesday to elect school boards across McHenry County.

Nearly four dozen of the local races in McHenry County will be competitive on Tuesday, as voters head to the polls to decide who will lead their school boards, municipalities, libraries and parks.

Candidates in the race for three McHenry School District 15 seats say post-pandemic learning, curriculum is their near-term focus.

Question: What is your assessment of how Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is handled in your school district? Answer: As an elementary district, I feel diversity, equity, and inclusion are traits that are presented to all of our students. Read Patrick DeGeorge's questionnaire here

Question: Why are you running for office? Answer: After I retired from teaching I wanted to stay involved in education by serving on McHenry 15 School Board. Read Arne Waltmire's full election questionnaire here.

Almost 20% of McHenry County is without power as of early Thursday morning

With McHenry County under an ice storm warning from 6 a.m. Wednesday through Thursday morning, a number of area schools have been cancelled.

Here are all the closures, cancellations and moves to online caused by the Feb. 16 and 17 weather impacting McHenry County schools and organizations.

McHenry School District 15 Superintendent Josh Reitz was selected as a 2022 Superintendent to Watch by the National School Public Relations Association.

All McHenry County schools not already on winter break have closed or will dismiss early on Thursday due to the impending snow.