May Day Sunday Details

May Day 5 p.m. Sunday

This year’s May Day ceremony will take place at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow, Sunday, May 4, at Lilly’s Field. Although the latest weather forecasts do not predict inclement weather at that time, please be advised of the steps that MICDS will follow should potentially unsafe conditions transpire. In the event of nearby thunder or lightning immediately before or during the May Day ceremony, all participants and spectators will be evacuated as quickly as possible from Lilly’s Field to the McDonnell Athletic Center (MAC). The technicians with whom MICDS contracts for audio-visual support at May Day require the immediate breakdown and removal of their equipment from any venue at which there is a threat of lightning. Should such a threat require the evacuation of Lilly’s Field, the ceremony will be delayed both to allow time for the inclement weather to clear and for our audio-visual contractors to reinstall their equipment. Safety is our highest priority at MICDS at all times. While we certainly hope that the current forecast holds and that there will be no rain or threat of lightning at the event, we wanted to be sure that you are informed in advance of the procedure we will follow should inclement weather affect the May Day ceremony. We appreciate your continuing patience with our planning efforts through this weekend’s uncertain weather conditions. We look forward to seeing you at tomorrow afternoon’s special event.

Upper Schoolers Saddle Up for a Wild West Field Day

Giddy up, MICDS! Upper School Field Day 2025 was transformed into a rip-roarin’ Wild West fest where students took over the campus fields for a showdown of spirited competition.

All six branches of the Upper School Student Government were behind this rootin’ tootin’ good time with their Wild West theme. Each branch took the reins of a specific game, setting the rules and ensuring smooth operations at their station. The day kicked off with a Western welcome where students donned cowboy hats and bandanas in their College Counseling quadrant colors – blue for Matt Essman‘s crew, sunny yellow for Abby Klinckhardt‘s posse, fiery red for Earl Macam‘s riders, and earthy green for Karen Wildman‘s gang. Midday brought a picnic-style lunch enjoyed under the open sky before the games commenced.

The rodeo of games included:

  • Knockout in McDonnell Gymnasium brought to you by the Community Service Committee
  • Cornhole on Thomas Field hosted by the Activities Committee
  • Tug-of-War on Thomas Field managed by the Student Council
  • Four Square in Danforth Square fielded by the Honor Council
  • Inflatable Obstacle Course in the MAC governed by the Athletics Committee
  • Paint Toss on the Olson Lawn orchestrated by the Arts Council

“This is a great leadership opportunity for Student Government because they must work together to bring the day together. Any mistakes or poor planning are felt in real time, and we use that experience and knowledge to improve the following year,” said Nicole Trueman-Shaw, Director of Upper School Student Leadership & Class of 2028 Dean.

After an afternoon of rotating through the outdoor challenges, and just ahead of a passing thunderstorm, all quadrants filled the North Gym for the legendary 3-on-3 Senior vs. Faculty half-court basketball games. The seasoned faculty members bravely stepped onto the court, risking pride and perhaps a pulled hamstring, against the energetic seniors, delivering a display of grit and good humor. (Note: no teachers were harmed in these games.)

Yeehaw to the champions of this Wild West roundup: the Essman quadrant (in blue!)

A big tip of the hat to our Student Government committees for their hard work in planning and executing this memorable day of fun and competition. Thanks also to our Parents Association Sports Boosters team for their extra hands wrangling the inflatable obstacle course. Well done, Rams!