This is a work in progress. If you think we've made an error or should add something else to the timeline, please contact Mary Vrabel.
To read a narrative history of the school, click here.
| 1975-76 | Larry and Pat Schaefer move to Minneapolis to work at the St. Paul Montessori school sponsored by the Montessori foundation at the invitation of Larry O’Shaughnessy |
| 1976-77 | Lake Country School is established, incorporated and opens at the Basilica of St. Mary’s with 65 children in one Children's House and two elementary classrooms The first Board of Directors is appointed with Brad St. Mane as president The first elementary performance is Panic in a Desk Drawer |
| 1977-78 |
Janet Williams’ EI classroom is established Larry Dittberner starts in January The performance is The Prince and the Pauper 110 children enrolled |
| 1978-79 | First class graduates from 6th grade Lois St. Mane and Patricia Bachmeier join the staff First auction chaired by John and Betty Heefner The performance is Persephone |
| 1979-80 |
Kathy Coskran and Sarah Endsley open second Children's House classroom Millie Dosh establishes the Research Center Madame Fisk starts teaching French A building search committee is formed LCS moves to Cleary Hall on 38th St. and Pleasant Ave. on July 12, 1980 |
| 1980-81 |
LCS opens in Cleary Hall with 210 enrolled Cafeteria is shared with Incarnation School Beloved teacher Janet Williams dies First year elementary students go to “Widji” |
| 1981-82 |
Lois St. Mane changes her name to Zoe Jean Melom joins Children's House |
| 1982-83 |
Junior High opens in the Incarnation Building First Junior High Odyssey to Campsville, Illinois First Junior High bike trip Junior High play is You Can’t Take it with You First ISACS accreditation self-study Research center is remodeled 225 students enrolled |
| 1983-84 |
First Junior High Odyssey east to historic Williamsburg Third Children's House classroom added First year of Extended Day Doug Alecci joins the Junior High Junior High perform Feast of Ortolons LCS is accredited by ISACS |
| 1984-85 |
First Odyssey West to Crow Canyon Junior High play is A Midsummer’s Night Dream |
| 1985-86 | First capital campaign planned to buy Cleary Hall, renovate Children's House and build the gym and Junior High Jill Olsen and Mindy Holte join the staff Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story are the performances |
| 1986-87 | Ann Luce joins staff LCS purchases Cleary Hall Children “hug the building” during the spiral dance |
| 1987-88 | Children's House moves into newly remodeled classrooms Steve Anthony joins the Junior High Twins win the pennant and Children's House writes Let’s Go Out to the Ballgame |
| 1988-89 |
First observance of Wisdom Day Building of gym and Junior High completed Back lot purchased from U.S. West Paulette Zoë, Peggy McKenna and Kathy Gustafson join staff |
| 1989-90 |
First Future’s Day Celebration—trees planted First exchange with Moscow School #31 LCS cosponsors National Montessori conference on the Humanities |
| 1990-91 | Second ISACS evaluation |
| 1991-92 |
First all-school recitation of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech Twins win World Series |
| 1992-93 | Jane Goodell visits LCS |
| 1993-94 | Roots and Shoots environmental club is established Larry Schaefer hosts Adolescent Conference in St. Paul |
| 1994-95 | First Amity scholar, Paul Alain arrives from Cameroon Field of Dreams is auction theme to raise money for playground equipment Pat and Larry Schaefer announce their retirement as co-principals |
| 1995-96 | Kathy Coskran begins as Associate Principal Board approves purchase of the Land School Playground is renovated First Winter Count alum gatherings LCS staff create quilt portraying the first twenty years of the school in a spiral of block prints 301 students enrolled |
| 1996-97 | Kathy Coskran becomes new Head of School “Great Gatherings” auction tradition established First Land School harvest EII performs The Odyssey First exchange with Swedish students Steve and Mimi Fisher present the sculpture “Montessori’s Vision” to LCS in honor of their daughter and alumna Carly |
| 1997-98 | Junior High performs The Life of Insects First “Sex and Pizza” discussion with EII parents and students Pat Schaefer’s class writes award-winning symphony Astronaut Sally Ride visits LCS |
| 1998-99 |
LCS launches For the Children, its second capital campaign, to renovate the elementary levels, build a lodge at the Land School and establish an endowment |
| 1999-2000 | Elementary students return to newly renovated classrooms Planning begins for construction at the Land School LCS buys the property next door on Pleasant Ave. Junior High plants 6,000 trees at the Land School |
| 2000-01 | 25th Anniversary Year Endowment established with $226,000 on gifts and $408,000 in pledges |
| 2001-02 | Land School committee hosts charette to involve community in designing lodge Larry Dittberner’s 25th year at LCS |
| 2002-03 | Council of Children established and writes school pledge LCS breaks ground on the O’Shaughnessy Homestead at the Land School |
| 2003-04 | LCS dedicated as a peace site O’Shaughnessy Homestead at the Land School dedicated Kathy Coskran retires as Principal |
| 2004-05 | Paulette Zoë begins as new Principal First Junior High residency at the Land School First year of the 9th grade with one 9th grade student First Odyssey South to Mississippi with focus on Civil Rights and marine biology Class H works with Mike Hazard, a.k.a. Media Mike, to produce The Magic Green School Bus, a documentary about the life of Paul Wellstone LCS receives $500,000 endowment gift from the Drake-McLaughlin alum family |
| 2005-06 | 30th Year of Lake Country School Junior High play is Much Ado About Nothing and is performed with two casts |
| 2006-07 | Montessori Centenary: Maria Montessori opened the first Casa di Bambiniin in Janurary of 1907 Junior High play is Oklahoma! Junior High has four 9th graders |
| 2007-08 | In an LCS first, Aaron Lockridge begins his teaching career in Children's House II alongside his former Children's House teacher, Sarah Endsley LCS participates in 100 Steps for Montessori, a global event to celebrate the Montessori Centenary EII play is Trickster Tales Junior High Play is Midsummer’s Night Dream Auction theme is The Prom-Moonlight in Paradise and is chaired for the first time by an LCS alum, Dan Johnson, with wife Tanya and Nancy Warner |