History

Living Legacy

Our school has a rich history of Christ-centered education since the late 1930s.

The school of what is present-day Lancaster Mennonite was founded as an alternative to public schools where students could be taught in a Christ-centered environment. This movement led to the founding of Locust Grove Mennonite School in 1939 and New Danville Mennonite School in 1940. The Lancaster Conference of the Mennonite Church took a bit more time to meet a bigger challenge: the development of a Christian high school on the site of the former Yeates School in 1942.

Whereas each of the Mennonite schools initially served mainly Mennonite students, persons from many denominations increasingly became part of the student body. Each campus eventually served a diversity of Christian families who appreciated an excellent education in a Christ-centered atmosphere that emphasized personal faith and discipleship. as well as families with other faith backgrounds who resonate with the values of the Lancaster Mennonite community.

Although each school was founded independently to meet the challenges of the 20th century, the challenges of the 21st century brought everyone together to be one comprehensive PreK-12 school. Sharing a common mission and values, the schools decided to work together as a system for the common good. New Danville merged with Lancaster in 2001, followed by Locust Grove in 2003. Then in 2022, the New Danville (grades PreK-5th) and Locust Grove (grades PreK-8th) campuses unified with the Lancaster Campus (grades 6-12th) to form a PreK-12th grade school on one campus at 2176 Lincoln Hwy E, Lancaster, PA, and the properties were sold to support a stronger and more sustainable future for every LM student.

Key Dates

  • 1939: Locust Grove Mennonite School (later the Locust Grove Campus of Lancaster Mennonite School) founded
  • 1940: New Danville Mennonite School (later the New Danville Campus of Lancaster Mennonite School) founded
  • 1942: Lancaster Mennonite School founded
  • 1970: Lancaster Mennonite School renamed Lancaster Mennonite High School to emphasize that it offered grades 9-12.
  • 2000: Middle school (grades 6-8) started on the Lancaster Campus
  • 2001: New Danville Mennonite School merges to form Lancaster Mennonite School, one K-12 school with two campuses
  • 2003: Locust Grove Mennonite School (PreK-8) merges with Lancaster Mennonite School and becomes the Locust Grove Campus (PreK-8)
  • 2022: The New Danville (grades PreK-5th) and Locust Grove (grades PreK-8th) campuses unified with the Lancaster Campus (grades 6-12th) to form a PreK-12th grade school on one campus at 2176 Lincoln Hwy E, Lancaster, PA, and the properties were sold to support a stronger and more sustainable future for every LM student.