Lakeville North High School


Lakeville North High School is a public high school in northern Lakeville, Minnesota, United States. Formerly Lakeville High School, LNHS received its current name when a second high school, Lakeville South High School, was built. Grades 9-12 attend the school, and its principal is Kim Budde.
The school is a member of Minnesota Independent School District 194, and is affiliated with the Minnesota State High School League. The school is a member of the South Suburban Conference. During the 2009-10 school year, Lakeville North High School was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education, the highest award an American school can receive.

School facilities

The current Lakeville North High School was completed in 1993, designed by Wold Architects and Engineers, it is known to have a somewhat unusual design. With three floors total, the situation of the building on the site gives the classroom wing three levels while the rest of the building only has two. The classroom wing is a rough rectangular shape with the Media Center and support spaces in the middle and symmetrical classroom spaces on either side. Lab spaces are located on the front portion of the wing while smaller classroom spaces are in the center and near the back portion. The Classroom wing is connected to the main building by 4 "bridges" that include bathrooms and locker bays. The bridges lead into the 2 story commons space used for student dining and other community events. The commons allows access to administration offices, the gymnasiums, music and industrial tech wings, and the auditorium, making it the center of the building's design. One major noticeable design feature of the commons space is the large radius curtain wall on the east side and the stair-stepped ceiling leading to each side of the space, giving it an open and airy feeling.
The industrial tech and performing arts area of the school is in the northern portion directly off the commons. Lakeville North offers metals classes while Lakeville South offers woods. The auditorium is circular in overall shape with approximately 600 soft seats. Acoustic effects are achieved through stair-stepped walls and the sloped ceiling and seating layout. Entrances are located on both the second and third floors while handicapped seating is available on the second-floor portion. A complete sound, lighting, and a backstage fly system complete this space.
Administration spaces are located on the third floor in the center of the building immediately adjacent to the main entrance. In the offices are six dean offices, bathrooms, two showers to accommodate overtime workers, and offices for attendance, health and SRO officials.
Athletic spaces complete the southern portion of the floor plan. A large game gym is located off the commons and includes bleacher seating and a running track. A two court auxiliary gym is located beyond. A gymnastics gym, dance studio, weight room, and double locker rooms complete the athletics wing.
In 1998, the building was expanded from 1200 students to 1800 students with the addition of the auxiliary gymnasiums, commons space, classroom wing expansion and new locker rooms. Though the expansion meshed well with the existing spaces many features of the new spaces indicate it was added at a later date. For example, the tile on the original columns supporting the existing bridges was rectangular while the tiles on the new bridge are square. It is also apparent in the finishes in the classroom wing with slightly different carpet, tile grout line sizes and door frame designs.
The building's structure is made of steel and masonry. The classroom wing has three-story masonry curtain walls and precast concrete floors and roof. The spaces are laid out with varying steel spans ranging from 12 feet at regular classrooms to 32 feet at lab spaces. Walls in the classroom wing are constructed of steel studs and drywall and the bathroom spaces are glazed masonry block. The exterior is clad in brick, aluminum panels, stucco, glazed block, and ribbed steel materials. Aluminum windows, doors and store front systems are also included. A trace amount of these materials are continued to the interior of the building.

Demographics

As of 2019, 83 percent of the students were White, 6 percent were Asian, and Black and Hispanic students had 4 percent each.

Academics

Lakeville North High School offers 21 advanced placement classes in various subjects including Art History, Calculus, Biology, English Literature, Language Composition, Chemistry, European History, U.S. History, World History, Psychology, Music Theory, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Studio Art, Human Geography, Statistics, Physics, Environmental Science, and American Government. Advanced placement exams are held at the end of the year; students who receive a passing grade earn college credits. They are also weighted on a 5.0 scale.
Students are also given the opportunity to earn college credits and high school credits at the same time if they are a junior or senior in high school through Post Secondary. This is where students take courses at a nearby, participating college or university; as of 2011 the offered schools included Normandale Community College, Inver Hills Community College, Dakota County Technical College, and the University of Minnesota. The students must meet the admission requirement first to take these courses. In the past, school administrators have raised controversy by stating that the Post-Secondary Education Option was a way for students who operated poorly in traditional academic settings to pursue options in local community colleges, operating in direct contradiction to the State of Minnesota's PSEO laws. In accordance with school policy, letter grades are not given to students choosing to pursue this option.
Lakeville has done very well in terms of standardized testing and improvement in education and were awarded the Blue Ribbon School of Excellence in 2009. In 2010 it was ranked at number 769 on Newsweeks annual list of America's Best High Schools.

Art Classes

Lakeville North offers a variety of art classes both in the school and online. The school offers:
•Advanced placement art history
•Advanced placement studio art
•Art appreciation online
•Art lab
•Ceramics 1 & 2
•Fine art drawing 1, 2, & 3
•Graphic art & design 1 &2
•Painting 1, 2, & 3
•Photography 1, 2, & 3
•Image design & editing online

Co-curricular activities

Lakeville North Students are able to participate in many extracurricular activities including: Academic Decathlon, American Sign Language, Band, Best Buddies, Chess Club, Choir, Comic Book Club, Cosmic Ray Club, Dance Club, Debate, DECA, Environmental Club, Faith Club, French Club, Individuals Matter, Link Crew, Math League, Mock Trial, Model United Nations, One Act Play, Quiz Bowl, SADD, SAGE, Science Olympiad, Spanish Club, Speech, Student Council, Theatre, and Youth in Government.

Marching Band

Formerly under the direction of Nathan W. Earp from 1979-2016, their Marching Band is well recognized through the United States. They are distinctly known for their traditional style of marching, showcasing the high step with a shoulder and horn swing. The Panther Football Marching Band was invited to and marched in the 2007 Tournament of Roses Parade, as well as parades in Philadelphia, Texas, Florida, and at the parade for the second inauguration of George W. Bush. The band's current director is Doctor Matthew Wanken.
There are also honor organizations called Panther Prep and National Honor Society.
The other organizations are actual classes during school. These classes include: Choir, Concert Band, DECA, High Mileage, Jazz Band, Marching Band, Newspaper, Tech Challenge, Visual Art, and Yearbook.

Notable Alumni