The year was 1973. Overseas, the last U.S. troops withdrew from Vietnam. Across America, the Watergate Scandal dominated the news. In Memphis, FedEx officially began its operations. In Chicago, construction crews completed the Willis Tower, formerly known as the Sears Tower. 

In Barrington, on August 18, 1973, the community voted to combine three area school districts, Districts 1, 4, and 224, officially forming a single school district for students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12. 

The consolidation was more than a century in the making. Education in the Barrington area began with a series of one-room schoolhouses. As the population grew, the schoolhouses closed to make way for larger districts, until 1973 when only three districts remained. 

Fifty years later, the Barrington 220 School District spans 72 square miles and is geographically located in four counties: Cook, Lake, McHenry, and Kane. The district serves approximately 8,000 students across one high school, two middle school campuses for grades 6-8, eight elementary schools, one early childhood center, and a transition center for special education students who are 18-22 years old. 

For half a century, Barrington 220 has fulfilled its mission to empower personal excellence in every learner. Thanks to the dedication of our staff, Board of Education members, students, and parents, as well as the strength and collaborative nature of our communities, Barrington 220 has become a nationally-recognized school district that embraces the future, while still taking pride in our rich history and traditions.

From the southern tip of the district in Hoffman Estates, to Deer Park in the east, Carpentersville in the west, and Tower Lakes in the north, we are #UnifiedFor50!