History
Formal education began in the beautiful village of Grand Marais in 1885, when a small school was built to serve 50 students. In 1895 as the town boomed due to logging and fishing, the first high school was built. This and two other small schools peaked at 520 students in 1905. In 1928, deterioration of the original building led to plans for a new school building. At the total cost of $125,000 the new, and still currently used, K-12 school was finished and occupied in February of 1929. 
While changing economic conditions caused a steep population decline in the early part of the twentieth century, the student population in Grand Marais stabilized and fluctuated slightly between 90-140 students over the next 80 years. Throughout that time Burt Township School earned a reputation as a strong academic institution that sent a majority of its graduates on to higher education and skilled professions.
Today in 2010, due to a further change and overall decline in Grand Marais’ population, Burt Township School serves 47 students K-12. While there are unique challenges to being so small, benefits include strong one on one relationships between students and staff, a familial atmosphere, and various opportunities for all students to excel. These qualities and the additional resources of a 1300 acre school forest, a shared border with Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, and being located on the shores of the amazing Lake Superior combine to make Burt Township School a place where great things can and do happen for its students.
As our world and economy continue to change in unpredictable ways, Burt Township School is working hard to provide a modern education that will equip our students with the skills to connect and compete into the future.
Date: May 4, 2010