The Wilson County Schools Alternative School began at the "Old" Lebanon Post
Office located on East Main. (Now serves as the Election Commission Office)

Jack Ladd was the first Director of the Alternative School.

Upon leaving that facility the school system chose to place portables at
Lebanon High School and "the old" Mt. Juliet Junior High School. These
portables contained enough study carrels for 12 students each. The
Portables contained one teacher and one Educational Assistant each.

After about 7 years in those portables the School Board decided that a study
group convene and see what direction the school system should go.

The study group recommended to the School Board that they should combine
both portables and find a location in Wilson County for the Alternative
Program to be located.

Another group was put together to develop a behavior program and rules for
this new form of an Alternative Program.

Members of that group that day were: David Harrison (Secondary Supervisor),
Donna Parker (Director of Special Education), Mark Akers (Wilson County
Youth Ranch), Ron Smith (Wilson County Youth Ranch), Terry Jones (Wilson
County Youth Ranch), Mike Jennings (County Attorney), and Rick Miller
(Current Principal of M.A.P. Academy).

This group met and developed the rules for M.A.P. Academy and the policies
and guidelines that was approved by the School Board. The School Board also
met and decided to buy the property that now serves as the Program's
location on Stumpy Lane.

On August 3, 1997 the School was completed after a 30 day contract with
Steed Brothers Contractors.

The Program began with 5 Teachers (Rob Bates, Jackie Clark, Ken Whittle,
Zina Johnson, and Special Education Teacher, Mary Eller) 5 Educational
Assistants and a Principal. We also contracted with the Wilson County Youth
Ranch to have 4 Behavioral Counselors on staff to direct the Community
Project portion of the program.

The Program was able to house 40 students. After 2 complete years the
Wilson County School Board added the "STEP 2" addition to the building in
order for us to have more room and to house the Adult High School in the
South Part of the building. The North part of the building was now able to
house 60 students.

In the year 2001 the Adult High School moved their program to former "Health
Department Building". The South part of MAP Academy became home to the
Administration part of MAP and gave room for the DHA to meet on a weekly
basis. Also added that year was the YouthLinks program that helps students
beginning at age 14 and to the young adults, age 21.

As of the school year 2005-06 MAP Academy has added 2 more classrooms in
order that the program can now house 92 students. This gave us the ability
to hire 2 more Teachers and Educational Assistants.

As we begin the 2006-07 school year we will have hired our first fulltime
Guidance Counselor. Also, we have added a new "Computer Lab" that will
house 12 computers to be used by all students throughout the school year.

The 2006-07 school year has begun with MAP Academy's participation in the e4Tn Program.
This program is an "ONLINE CREDIT COURSE", with subjects such as Physical Science, Geometry,
Global Studies, and French. We have 7 students participating at this time and they are
receiving rave reviews from their "online instructors". The Director of the Program wants Ms.
Freer, our Guidance Counselor and Online Coordinator, to be interviewed by Channel 2 News in an
upcoming segment about our particpation. The students are learning valuable lessons in Logical
type thinking with this program. They have to be able to defend their answers for everything
and the instructors are very excited about the progress our students are making.

WAY TO GO............M.A.P. ACADEMY PARTICIPANTS!!!!!! YOU ARE HELPING TO MAKE A NAME FOR ALL
WILSON COUNTY STUDENTS!!!!