E. Pitts wrote, "Lakeview Academy, established in 1970 in response to desegregation, continues to grow as an almost exclusively white private school." Based on interviews of the former superintendent and assistant superintendent of Gainesville's public schools, Pitts wrote that although they each emphasized they could not prove it, "both of the men believe the founding of Lakeview Academy was racially motivated; that is, to keep Whites and Blacks in segregated schools". (In January 2005, Lakeview advertised in Atlantic Magazine that its enrollment of 530 included 12% students of color. In the 2019–2020 school year the student population was 93.8% White, 2.4% Asian, 2% Hispanic, and 1.7% Black.) Construction on "12 classrooms, a library and office" began in 1970 on Lakeview Drive. The first headmaster was Woodrow Light, who officiated on August 22, 1970, at the dedication of the school renamed Lakeview Academy. It had 87 students in first through ninth grades. Headmaster Light wrote, "We began the school year in September with eighty-seven students. The response from students, parents, trustees and friends has been so tremendous that our enrollment has steadily increased to ninety-six with additional applications pending." Enrollment at the end of that first school year surpassed 100 students. Work on the upper school building was completed in 1973, and then work started on the gym. Enrollment at the end of the school year 1973–974 was 219, and five students were the first graduates. Ferrell Singleton served as head of the school from 1979 to 2005. He had a reputation for "building the school for more than two decades". He started the Lakeview Lions football program. Lakeview gives an annual Singleton award "for the student that best exemplifies Lakeview Academy". The middle school building was also named "Singleton Hall" in his honor. By 1999, the school served 450 students. Jim Robison was head of school from 2005 to 2010. Robison established a tradition of an annual convocation ceremony, during which students in the upper school signed an honor code, "agreeing not to lie, cheat or steal, or approve of those who do". During Robison's time as head, the school completed a $1.5 million expansion of the cafeteria to accommodate 400 students, which was the first stage of a planned $7.5 million expansion to build 15 new classrooms to replace six modular classrooms. From 2010 to 2019, John Kennedy served as head of school. He oversaw a $3 million capital