Like many of the cities and villages of Houghton County, copper mining lies at the foundation of Winona, Michigan. The first housing was constructed in Winona in 1864. The town is named for the mother of Hiawatha, the hero of Longfellow’s epic poem The Song of Hiawatha, an epic based on an amalgamation of different native legends from diverse parts of America and set in the Lake Superior region.

The present school was organized and approved by the people of Elm River Township in May of 1906, constructed over the summer, and classes began that September.

While the school in Winona originally offered instruction through High School, currently instruction ends after Eighth Grade. Most of our students continue their education at Jeffers High School in Painesdale.

The current curriculum includes instruction in Reading, English, Handwriting, Mathematics, Music, Art, Social Studies, Science, and Physical Education. The school is actively managed by a Board of Education elected from the people of Elm River Township.