STREETSBORO, Ohio (WJW) — With graduation right around the corner, senior pranks are considered a rite of passage, and it was a prank that led to the cancellation of classes on Monday at Streetsboro High School.

Students and their parents received an email from the principal of the school that read in part, “Due to an unforeseen building issue, Streetsboro High School will be closed today. We apologize for the late notice as we were just alerted once our custodial staff came in this morning.”

Fox 8 News has learned that the unforeseen issue was a series of pranks, orchestrated by Streetsboro seniors, that included blocking stairwells with balloons, streamers, bananas, and plastic cups.

Students also stacked up desks in classrooms, turned over tables and chairs and moved the desks of teachers into the gym and the school’s parking lot.

Some Streetsboro residents found the senior prank amusing and relatively harmless. 

“I think it’s kind of cool, just like a little tradition and stuff like that, as long as it doesn’t harm anybody, I think it’s fun you know, kind of keeps it interesting,” said Jack Bauer.

It turns out that the students actually had permission to be inside the school and carry out a prank.

According to a statement issued by the Streetsboro School District on Monday afternoon: “A small number of students were permitted to enter the High School on Sunday night and leave balloons and streamers as a senior prank. A select number of administrators were informed that students would enter the building with adult supervision to conduct the prank. Clearly, the ‘prank’ got out of hand.”

Upon hearing the story, Streetsboro resident Victoria Lamb said: “I would say as far as senior skip day like that would be okay, but as far as going and doing a prank to try and get out of school, probably not.”

Brayden Malloy, a 2021 Streetsboro graduate, added: “Keeping it not too disruptive to the point where like having to close school down because that affects the other grades, not just the seniors, who are kind of cruising at this point.”

We are told the impact of the prank was so widespread throughout the building, that those responsible faced the possibility of not being allowed to attend graduation ceremonies if they did not help with the cleanup.

It took some work, but a group of seniors showed up at school on Monday morning, to help custodians put everything back in its rightful place and dispose of items strewn around the campus.

“I think it’s fair enough, they made the mess, might as well clean it up,” said Malloy.  

“I think that’s good; it holds you accountable and responsible for your actions,” said Bauer.

Lamb added: “I mean, ‘If you did this, it’s funny but come clean it up now.'”

According to the statement from the Streetsboro School District: “While school property was moved out of classrooms, no school property was damaged. The District apologizes to the staff whose property was either disturbed or moved out of their classrooms and to the staff tasked with cleaning up the mess the students left behind. The High School will reopen for classes on Tuesday, May 16, 2023.”