The district was started in 1861. The original building had been a wooden structure with two rooms — the little room for grades 1 to 4 and the big room for grades 5 to 8.

In 1946, the need for a newer, more modernbuilding was desperate, but the United States was at war and the only way that the federal government would release materials for the construction was to have the State Fire Marshal condemn the old building. And so the Board of Directors (predecessors of Board of Education) did just that to build a building with four classrooms and a basement.

In future years, other additions were made and a gym was added. This building housed all students until the William Holliday building was built in 1960. In 1976, the first class of seventh graders entered the new Pontiac building and the old one was sold for a health club.

At the beginning of December 2001, the old “Pontiac School” (located at 5925 North Illinois) was demolished to make way for the new commercial retail development planned for that area. Thanks to Alderman Pat Baeske and the Fairview Heights City Council, the street signs for “North Pontiac Drive” and “School Street” were salvaged and donated to the school district for historical purposes. The two street signs and a framed explanation of their history, hang over the trophy case (by the gymnasium) at Pontiac Jr. High School. Please take a look at them the next time you visit the school or attend an event.