History

Lake Country School (LCS) was founded in June 1976 by Pat and Larry Schaefer through a grant from the O'Shaughnessy Foundation, becoming the first Montessori school in Minnesota to offer programs for 9-12 year-olds and a junior high.

Initially located at the Basilica of St. Mary in downtown Minneapolis, the school moved to its current site in 1980. It rented the property from Incarnation Parish before purchasing it in 1986. The school continued to expand and renovate, culminating in the completion of a new wing in 1989 that included junior high classrooms and a gymnasium.

In 1996, Pat and Larry Schaefer retired as co-principals after two decades of leadership, and Kathy Coskran became the new principal. Before retiring, the Schaefer's, with the support of Doug Alecci, Dale Winnehof, and Corinne Rafferty, guided LCS to purchase a 160-acre farm in Wisconsin. This property, known as the Land School, offers a rural experience for the community, annual farm stays for junior high students, overnights for elementary classrooms, and day visits. 

A significant gift to the endowment from the Drake-McLaughlin alumni family in 2004 bolstered the school's tuition assistance program.