Mission
The mission of R.T. Fisher School, in partnership with parents, is to encourage and equip each student with the emotional, social, and academic skills to successfully return to their home school.
The mission of R.T. Fisher School, in partnership with parents, is to encourage and equip each student with the emotional, social, and academic skills to successfully return to their home school.
R.T. Fisher was opened during the 1988-1989 school year. The first classes were held in a small classroom in the math hall at Beech High School. There was only one teacher and a teacher’s assistant that year. Grace Oliver was the administrator. The maximum amount of students that year was between seven or eight high school students at any time. The students were from the Hendersonville area. In the fall of 1989, the school moved to a portable classroom at old Hawkins Middle School, the 9th grade annex for Hendersonville High School. Again, there were only seven to eight students; the faculty and administration remained the same. In 1990 R.T. Fisher moved again, this time to the old Bush's Chapel School on South Tunnel Road.
The school had four classrooms, a gym, and a basement used for vocational ed. classes. During that year, the school accepted both middle school and high school students. Students were able to participate in intramural basketball and cheerleading. That school year also saw R.T Fisher’s one and only graduating class. The Senior class of three held commencement on May 29, 1992. The alternative school stayed at the South Tunnel location through the spring of 1994. Bussing to this location became an obstacle, so in the fall of 1994, students were spread throughout the county, and they attended the program in the school closest to them. The final move for the school came in 1999 when the school moved to its current location on Boyers Avenue in Gallatin, occupying the old Vena Stuart Elementary building. Within the three wings of the school there are now four separate schools: high school, middle school, elementary school, and a special education area. There is a gym, weight room, library, Plato computer lab, and a full service cafeteria. The staff has grown to 41 teachers and assistants.
David Hallman was the first principal at the Boyers Avenue location and remained through the spring of 2002. Bob Gideon was appointed to take Mr. Hallman’s position in January 2002 and held the position through 2007. The 2007-2008 school year began with another change in leaders as Bob Cotter began his tenure at the school.