The first recorded school held in the area that is now the Centennial District was in 1854 when classes were held in the F. X. Lavalle home.
This grew into Centerville District 5. In 1880, District 48 was organized near Golden Lake. There were several districts in the area that over time, were consolidated into these two which in turn were consolidated into District 240.
When the State of Minnesota organized the numbering of school districts in 1957, it became District 12. The community desired a name for the district that would represent all five of the communities served. Being that it was 1958, the Centennial year for Minnesota, it was decided to honor that celebration and adopt the name Centennial for the school district.