history

John W. Gates Elementary School is located on the southeast side of Aurora, Illinois, next to Aurora East High School. The school is also adjacent to Mastodon Lake and Phillips Park, surrounded by beautiful open space, a soccer court, and an older neighborhood in which many of the Gates School families live.

It was established and built in 1956, and is named after a former school superintendent, John W. Gates. Dr. Gates was originally from Mankato, Kansas and received his masters and doctoral degrees from the University of Chicago. He came to East Aurora as principal of the high school from 1946 to 1950, and became superintendent until he resigned in 1959 to become a professor of school administration at the University of Wyoming. He lived in Wyoming until retirement, and moved to Colorado with his wife. Dr. Gates passed away in 1988 in Oklahoma.

Gates School has programs with hands-on experiences for its students by providing excellent field trips at all grade levels within the Fox Valley area, Chicago, Springfield and an outdoor education program at Lorado Taft (Oregon, Illinois). Students may also join the honors choir and drama club as part of the music program. Gates students develop skills in music, skating, and technology, and sports. In 2004, they were district soccer champions.

The school offers parent classes in English Sin Barreras, ESL, GED, reading nights and library services. With the PTO activities, and many after school events, parents are involved as partners with the staff and students to make Gates an educational hub in the neighborhood.