Facts about our schools

Manual labor high school (1841-1848) was later called the Seminary in 1853. Central School House and the New State Graded School began in 1856.

The Union Schools of Geneseo - New Graded School and Seminary - merged on March 9, 1857 and on April 1, 1858 the Seminary was purchased. In 1866 the North Side Grade School, a 4-room brick bulding, was built. An addition to North Side School was made in 1871. The old North Side School building was destroyed by fire in January 1893, “a cold night when the streets and school yard were covered with ice.” Classes were held in the Evangelical and Methodist churches and in the South Side school after the fire. The South Side grade building (209 S. College) and the old High School were built in 1889-90. The North Side Grade building (211 E. Palace Row) was erected three years later.

The township high school (115 W. Pearl Street), built 1910-11, was added to in 1931-32. A junior high school was built in 1954 (700 N. State St.). It later became J. D. Darnall Sr. High School. In 2005 the name was changed to Geneseo High School. Two additions were added to this building in 1956 and 1963 at a cost of $1,800,000.

Howard Elementary School (Route 6) was built in 1960 at a cost of $140,000 and the same year East North Grade School (415 N. Russell) cost $260,000.

The consolidation of 47 school districts into one school district took place in 1948. However, the official date of existence of Unit District 228 is 1949.

There are currently 6 buildings in District 228: Geneseo High School, Geneseo Middle School, Atkinson Elementary, Millikin Elementary, Northside Elementary, and Southwest Elementary.

GENESEO MIDDLE SCHOOL
A list of former and current Jr. High/Middle School staff can be accessed here.

ATKINSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Atkinson Elementary School, located at 109 South State Street, is two blocks south of Route 6 and two blocks north of Interstate 80 in Atkinson, Illinois. Atkinson Elementary was once part of the Atkinson Community School District, which consolidated with Geneseo Community School District in 1988. The building that presently houses the school was constructed and occupied in 1972. In 1998, the last sixth grade class ended the year here, when in 1999 all sixth grade students in District 228 began taking classes at the new middle school. Atkinson Elementary stayed a Kindergarten through 5th grade building until 2005, when the 5th graders were moved to Southwest Elementary School in Geneseo.

Currently Atkinson Elementary has grades kindergarten through 5th grade having approximately 90 students in attendance. Along with the core classrooms Atkinson houses the multi physically handicapped students from the Special Educational Coop. Atkinson Elementary also has special services which include Social Work Service, LD Resource, and a Reading Assistance Program. We are also proud of the Art, Music, and Physical Education programs which each students participates in though out the school year. During the school year the students are able to use the computer lab and library, which houses approximately 2000 volumes. Atkinson students are support by a wonderful PTA, which helps with each individual class and supports all school wide programs.

NORTHSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Northside Elementary School, located at 415 N. Russell Ave, is three blocks east of Route 82 on the corner of Wells St. and Palace Row. The original North Side Grade School, a four room brick building situated in the center of a city block, was built in 1866 and was destroyed by fire in 1893. Three years later a new North Side Grade School, a large stone two-story building, was erected and served as an elementary school for over 60 years. In 1960 another school building was constructed on the same block and became known as East North Grade School. Then in 1968, North Side Grade School was demolished; and East North Grade School, with classroom additions on both ends, became the current Northside Elementary School.

Currently Northside School has two sections each of Kindergarten through fifth grade serving approximately 290 students. Special services include Title 1 Reading, Social Work Services, LD Resource, Emotionally Disturbed, and Hearing Impaired. We are proud of our outstanding parental and community involvement through PTA, Junior Achievement, and a volunteer program. In addition to a strong emphasis on the core subjects, students participate in Art, Music, Physical Education, Library and Technology Classes. Northside has a state of the art computer lab, and each classroom has T-1 Internet Access. More Northside history.