Home

The Lake Taylor High School family and stakeholders commit to the continuous academic growth of all students by maintaining a safe teaching and learning environment, respecting diversity, and offering powerful teaching and learning opportunities that fosters academic rigor, intellectual curiosity, and healthy lifestyles, while preparing all students to be exemplary citizens and contributors to a global society.

Lake Taylor High School is unique in design and function.  It looms on the horizon near the eastern limits of the City of Norfolk, a four story building, located on spacious grounds adjacent to Lake Taylor.  Included in the special features of the school are an observation deck on the roof, two student cafeterias, a staff solarium, a college sized gymnasium, the first Norfolk Public Schools elevator, and a 1000 student capacity auditorium.  And no, there is not a pool on the roof of Lake Taylor High, as rumors often suggest.

On Tuesday, September 5, 1967, Lake Taylor High School opened its doors for the first time.  The school was dedicated on February 11, 1968 with the honorable Senator Harry F. Byrd, Jr. delivering the dedication address. The first principal was Andrew T. Leidy, who served until 1977. The school accommodated students from grades nine through eleven, and added the twelfth grade in 1968. The school day, which began at 8:55 am and ended at 3:30 pm, was divided into seven class periods, a homeroom period, and a 55 minute lunch period. The first graduating class had 537 students with 22 advanced diplomas received by the students.

In the 1970’s, Lake Taylor High saw many changes. Girls began intramural sports, the student coalition for addressing student concerns (SCA) was organized, and Student with Disabilities classes began in 1974.  Students also rented textbooks for $15.00 a year. An interest in ecology saw the celebration of Earth day, which led to an increase in student organizations that promoted recycling and involvement in environmental/community issues.  Robert Steckroth became the new principal of LTHS in 1978 and served until November 1980. He survived through the great “blackout” in January of 1978 where most of the Titans stayed huddled in the barely lit foyer until school was dismissed at noon that day.  The cause of the blackout is still unknown.