The picture above is the school building that is now John T. Magee Middle School on Cedar Lake Road and Hart Road.
In 2008, construction regulations required a portion of the original structure to remain in place. This was necessary for the project to qualify as a renovation or expansion rather than new construction. For that reason, a significant part of the south side of the building was preserved. Today, that section still reflects the original two room schoolhouse structure. It serves as the foundation, or “bones,” of the current building.
That history stretches back much further than many realize. John T. Magee Middle School traces its origins to 1922. The original school building was constructed to serve a much smaller, rural Round Lake community.
Over the decades, as Round Lake grew, the school evolved alongside it. The building saw multiple additions and renovations in 1960, 1974, 1982, and again in 2008, each reflecting new generations of students and changing educational needs. Rather than replacing the structure entirely, those updates layered new spaces onto the original foundation, preserving a physical connection to the community’s earliest days of public education.
Today, Magee serves students in grades 6 through 8 as part of Round Lake Area Schools District 116, a district formed in 1968 through the consolidation of earlier local school systems. The school now educates roughly 600–700 students each year and reflects the diversity and growth of the broader Round Lake area.
What makes Magee especially unique is that it is not just a school building—it is a living timeline. From its beginnings as a small early 20th century schoolhouse to its modern role serving a vibrant and growing community, the structure itself tells the story. And because of that 2008 decision to preserve part of the original building, that story is still visible today in the very walls students walk past each day.
Here is that video:
Check back soon for part 3!
Forward Motion 