Farmington East Unit District #324 was formed in 1968 from the towns of Smithville, Hanna City, Farmington, Trivoli, and MiddleGrove. In 1986, the Yates City and Farmington East Districts combined to become the present Farmington Central District #265.
Farmington Central District #265 consists of 188 square miles in a rural setting with a work force of blue and white collar workers, many of whom commute to Peoria, Canton, or Galesburg.
After the passing a referendum in 2001, the District began plans to build a new PreK-12 campus just east of Farmington. The District partnered with the local villages and transferred ownership of the old school buildings to these entities for use within each town. Some are used for community centers while others are being utilized as city offices.
In August 2004, the new school complex was opened for students. The 240,000 square foot complex is a state of the art facility. The entire campus is air conditioned and natural light is used to help produce an excellent learning environment for students.
Farmington Central District #265 is a leader in the area of technology. There are five computer labs, three mobile computer labs and each classroom is equipped with a computer projector for staff/student use. The District completed a campus-wide wireless project in 2008.
Safety is of the utmost importance for the District. There are forty-nine security cameras throughout the complex and school grounds. In addition, all outside doors are secure and entrance is controlled by the offices or card readers.
Students are offered diverse opportunities to be successful. In FCES “best practices/strategies” have been implemented to teach reading so that students read at grade level as soon as possible. District #265 is the only school in the area to have continued a state approved Gifted Instruction Program for students in grades 3-8. FCJH has a television studio that students use to gain presentation and public speaking skills. At the high school level, students have the opportunity to earn college credit by taking dual credit courses.
Not only do students gain excellent academic knowledge but they have extra-curricular opportunities as well. The schools are well represented by their athletic teams, but there are so many more options for students, such as the JH and HS Band program, Scholastic bowl, Speech team, Art club, Student Senate, Newspaper, Musicals, Plays, Key Club, AV club, Art club, and more. The FCJH and FCHS Science Olympiad programs are one of the strongest in the area and state. The FCJH program has placed first at the Regional for nineteen straight years and both programs compete at the State level on a yearly basis. There is something for every student’s interest.
One of the main reasons students are successful in their academic and extra-curricular endeavors can be attributed to the District staff. Both certified and non-certified staff members work everyday to provide a positive atmosphere for our students. Expectations are set high and students are pushed to work to the best of their ability.
There are many positive reasons for raising a family within the District #265 community. There are beautiful town parks with ball diamonds, fishing, playgrounds, pavilions and gazebos. Family programs are offered by the YMCA Program Center as well as organized youth activities and summer recreation programs. In addition, there are many festivals and activities in which families can participate throughout the year. Some examples are: Spoon River Drive, Harvest Home Festival, Santa Stroll, Independence Day parade, Heritage Days, farmer’s markets, and Italian Fest.
Farmington Central District #265 is where parents, teachers, administration, and the community work together so students can be successful. We encourage you to visit and see all the great things that are occurring everyday. |
