In 1833, the people of Thompson's Corners built a one-room, log schoolhouse just east of town. People on the west side were not happy with the location, so they built one on the west side in 1834. These buildings were used for classes for a three month winter term and a three month summer term, but they also served as community centers for spelling bees, debating societies, singing school, anti-slavery and temperance meetings and Sunday School.

The South Lyon Union School District was formed in 1876, three years after Thompson’s Corners became incorporated as South Lyon. A large frame building was erected for the one hundred children of the community on the site of the current City and School Administration Building at the corner of Liberty and Warren. The first graduating class consisted of two young ladies, Carrie Greig and Hattie Hooker, who received their diplomas on June 23, 1887, eleven years after the building was erected. The staff that year consisted of the principal, a Mr. Williams, and three female teachers: Miss Bertha Arms, Miss Electra Ensign and Miss Nellie Greig.

In 1915, a two story brick building was constructed on the same site at Liberty and Warren. It served as the district school for many years and was later used as the School Administration Building, until it was demolished in 1998.

The first of a series of consolidations with neighboring school districts began in July 1947, when the district, known as the Lyon Township School District, consolidated with New Hudson. The enrollment resulting from the consolidation was 720 students with an equalized valuation of slightly over 4 million. The original members of the South Lyon Board of Education following the consolidation in 1947 were Donald K. Smith, President; William Markham, Secretary; Robert McCrory, Treasurer; Oral McGary, Trustee; and Ray Braun, Trustee.

During the next few years, several neighboring school districts chose to join the Lyon Township School District . By June of 1957, with the annexation of the Salem District, the Lyon Township School District had 1,400 students and an area of approximately 75 square miles.

On June 6, 1966, the last annexation to the district was the Wash-Oak District giving the newly named South Lyon Community Schools an area of 83 square miles and an enrollment of 2,555 students.

By the 1971-72 school year, the school district had a state equalized valuation of $65,679,799 and a student enrollment of 3,489. For the 2010-11 school year, the District has a total taxable value of $1,710,914,103 and a student enrollment of 7,077.

Here are some important dates in the District's history from the consolidation in 1947 to the present.

South Lyon Community Schools covers an area of approximately 83 square miles with an estimated population base of 40,520. The District contains areas of three counties (Oakland, Washtenaw & Livingston) and areas of 8 municipalities (City of South Lyon, Lyon Township, City of Novi, City of Wixom, Milford Township, Northfield Township, Salem Township, and Green Oak Township).