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.
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1970s
1975
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
Lake Country School is established, incorporated, and opened at the Basilica of Saint Mary with 72 children in one Children's House and two Elementary classrooms.
1980s
1980
LCS moves to Cleary Hall on 38th St. and Pleasant Ave. on July 12th, rented from the Church of the Incarnation.
1982
Junior High opens in the Incarnation Building, as well as the first Junior High trip to Kampsville, Illinois with fourteen students and the first Junior High Bike Trip, a three day tour of Hennepin County.
1984
First Junior High Odyssey (West to Crow Canyon).
1986
LCS purchases Cleary Hall.
1988
First observance of Wisdom Day, construction of the gym and Junior High is completed, and the Back Lot is purchased from U.S. West.
1990s
1994
Pat and Larry Schaefer announce their retirement as co-principals.
First Amity scholar, Paul Alain, arrives from Cameroon.
1995
Board approves purchase of the Land School, with the support of the Schaefers, Doug Alecci, Corinne Rafferty, and Dale Winnehof.
1996
Kathy Coskran becomes the new Head of School.
1999
The Junior High plants 6,000 trees at the Land School.
2000s
2002
The Council of Children establishes and writes the school pledge. LCS breaks ground on the O’Shaughnessy Lodge at the Land School.
2004
Kathy Coskran retires as Head of School.
Paulette Zoë begins as the new Head of School.
First Junior High residency at the Land School.
A significant gift to the endowment from the Drake-McLaughlin alumni family bolsters the school's tuition assistance program.
2010s
2010
Planning for the renovation of the Urban Campus' Outdoor Learning Environments begins. Renovations of the pergola, Front Lot, Back Lot, parking lot, Green Space, and Children's House Garden are completed in 2017.
2016
LCS celebrates its 40th anniversary and 20th anniversary of the Land School. Celebrations include a 40/20 Music Festival at the Land School, Homecoming & Tailgate Auction, and Spring Open House at the Urban Campus. The Council of Children also choose LCS's first mascot, Wander the Walleye!
2019
Head of School, Paulette Zoë retires after 31 years in the LCS community (15 years as Head of School).
Alumnus Ben Moudry '89 begins as the new Head of School.
2020s
2021
The LCS Renovation and Addition Project begins construction on the Urban Campus, adding administrative and program spaces and a new entrance/atrium. LCS transitions to online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2023
LCS’s first fully in-person year since the COVID-19 pandemic.
2026
Head of School, Ben Moudry announces his departure from LCS.
Cultivating Wonder, a $2 million capital campaign for the Land School is announced.
Nancy Segreti begins as the new Interim Head of School.
LCS celebrates its 50th anniversary.
