Lutheran High School Northwest, Detroit’s fourth Lutheran high school, opened in September of 1978 in the educational wing of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Farmington Hills. The following year the school moved to the larger classrooms and gymnasium of Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Birmingham. After one year, fire code restrictions prohibited the school from operating at Redeemer. A former elementary school on an 11-acre site was then purchased in Farmington Hills. Near the end of the first school year construction began on a new gym and classrooms. In May of 1981, community objections to the school’s presence brought to light an ordinance limiting the site’s use as a Lutheran High School. The lengthy court case which followed was finally resolved in November of 1985. In question were zoning ordinances regarding secondary schools in Farmington Hills. The community was granted the right to its ordinances and Northwest was prohibited from building a complete gymnasium and expanding its classroom areas.
For over five years, the case remained in Appeals Court. Their decision, along with denial of additional appeals, opened the door for the relocation of Lutheran Northwest.
On February 20, 1987, construction began on the 29-acre site in Rochester Hills. Many doubted the timetable for opening school on September 1, 1987. With God’s blessing and the challenging effort of many, the impossible became possible. Within three years an expansion was called for, including an expanded cafeteria, more classrooms, and a relocated art room. In 1998, our facilities again expanded to include a field house, gymnasium, expanded weight room, and performance platform through the “2001: A Faith Odyssey” program. Upgrades to our athletic facilities have been steady over the years, as Northwest has made improvements to the football field and built high-quality softball and baseball fields. Most recently, major cafeteria/lobby and school office improvements were completed in the summer of 2021.
The Oakland County area opens the door for offering the ministry of Christian secondary education to hundreds of families and young people. Lutheran Northwest meets that challenge by offering a tradition of quality educational programs, an excellent faculty, and growing pride and tradition in its students.