📈 Van Buren Cuts Missed School Days in Half, Middle School Hoops at Home Tonight, and a Smoother Griffith Car Line

Or: Showing Up Is Half the Battle, a Gym Full of Sneakers, and a Little Patience in the Pickup Line

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Thursday, October 22, 2026

Good morning. It’s Thursday, and the school week is on the home stretch. There’s a little fog in the low spots again this morning. It should lift by about 8, and then it’s another sunny day.

Today’s school news is the encouraging kind. Our neighbors up the mountain in Spencer found a way to get a lot more kids in their seats, and that’s a lesson any family can borrow. Think of it like a garden: you can’t grow much if you’re not out there to water it.

Here’s what’s on the list: Van Buren County High School cut its chronic absenteeism rate from 23.9% to 11.1% last school year. Sequatchie County Middle School hosts Soddy Daisy in basketball tonight, with the first game at 3:30. Friday is a $1 Dress Down Day at SCMS. Griffith Elementary posted friendly car-line reminders. Marion County’s school board meets at 5 tonight in Jasper. Over in Chattanooga, Hamilton County opened a new hands-on tech lab for students at Volkswagen. And Friday night, the Indians play at Walker Valley at 6 p.m. our time.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Neighbor win: Van Buren High’s chronic absenteeism fell from 23.9% to 11.1%.
• Remember the number: In Tennessee, missing about 18 days in a school year counts as chronically absent.
• Tonight: SCMS basketball vs. Soddy Daisy at home. Games at 3:30, 4:30, 5:30 and 6:30.
• Friday: SCMS Dress Down Day, $1 or 7 Braves Bucks.
• Griffith car line: Stay in line, don’t go around, follow the monitors.
• Friday football: Indians at Walker Valley, 6 p.m. Central. Stream it free on NewsChannel 9.
• Weather: Fog until about 8 a.m. today and Friday, then sunny. High near 76.

📈 Neighbors: Van Buren High Cuts Chronic Absenteeism by More Than Half

Here’s a good-news story from Spencer. The UC Now reports that Van Buren County High School cut its chronic absenteeism rate from 23.9% at the start of last school year to 11.1% by the end. That’s more than half.

The paper credits teamwork among students, families, the school system and Communities In Schools, a group that has worked inside Van Buren schools since August 2019. Program manager Allison Dodson told the paper that some kids were missing school because of everyday hurdles, like no ride, not enough food, or no way to wash clothes at home. The group helps connect families with what they need. Dodson said, “They can’t learn if they’re not here.” The school started this year at 11.1% and hopes to bring it down a few more points.

Why the number matters: Tennessee counts a student as chronically absent when they miss 10% or more of the school year. In a regular year, that’s about 18 days. Excused and unexcused days both count.

What it means for you: Eighteen days sneaks up on you, a sniffle here and a dentist trip there. You don’t need to send a sick child to school. But if something keeps getting in the way, like a ride or a washing machine, tell the school. Every Valley school has a counselor and a family resource contact, and asking for help is the whole point. A note on the fridge counting days missed can help, too.

👉 Read more (The UC Now: Parents, Students, Partners Reduce Van Buren Absenteeism)

🏀 Tonight: SCMS Basketball Hosts Soddy Daisy — Four Games in One Evening

Sequatchie County Middle School’s week-ahead schedule lists a home basketball night against Soddy Daisy today, Thursday, Oct. 22:

• Girls JV: 3:30 p.m.
• Boys JV: 4:30 p.m.
• Girls varsity: 5:30 p.m.
• Boys varsity: 6:30 p.m.

It’s a busy day all around. FCA meets at 7 a.m. before school, and marching band, baseball workouts and the Comic Book Club are on the list too. Then Friday is a school-wide Dress Down Day. Students can take part for $1 or 7 Braves Bucks, and the money supports school activities.

What it means for you: Middle school ball is the best bargain in town. The gym is warm, the games are short and every basket gets a cheer. If you’ve got a grandkid on the team, tonight’s a good night to sit in the bleachers. And tuck a dollar in a backpack tonight so nobody’s scrambling for Dress Down money Friday morning.

👉 Read more (Dunlap.Today: SCMS week ahead)

🚗 Griffith Elementary’s Car-Line Reminders: Patience Is the Fastest Way Through

Griffith Elementary posted a set of drop-off and pick-up reminders on the district website this week. The school says student safety is its top priority and asks families to:

• Stay in the designated line.
• Don’t go around other vehicles. Passing stopped cars is unsafe and causes delays.
• Follow the monitors’ directions.
• Give each student time and space to get in or out of the car safely.

What it means for you: A car line works like the line at the church potluck. If everybody waits their turn, everybody eats, and nobody gets an elbow in the gravy. Going around the line might save a minute, but a little one could step out right where you’re driving. Have backpacks zipped and goodbyes said before you reach the curb, and the whole line moves faster.

👉 Read more (Sequatchie County Schools: Griffith Elementary Safety Reminders)

🏛️ Tonight in Jasper: Marion County’s School Board Meets at 5

We walked through the agenda on Monday, and today’s the day. The Marion County Board of Education meets tonight at 5 p.m. Central at its Central Office, 204 Betsy Pack Drive in Jasper, according to the county’s events calendar.

Items on the posted agenda included a teacher agreement (MOU) for 2026 to 2029, a multi-year school bus contract, and building work at Marion County High School, including a secure entryway.

What it means for you: If your grandkids go to school in Jasper, Whitwell or South Pittsburg, school board meetings are open to the public. We’ll pass along what the board decides once results are reported.

👉 Read more (Marion County: School Board Meeting)

🔧 Regional: Hamilton County Opens a New Hands-On Lab at Volkswagen

This one is from Chattanooga, not the Valley, but it shows where career classes are headed. Local 3 News reports that Hamilton County Schools opened an eLab at the Mechatronics Academy at Volkswagen. It’s a digital workshop with 3D printers, robotics, microcomputers and more, where students design and build things themselves.

A student told the station it’s “mind-blowing to work with tools that most students will never be able to use.” The report says the academy is taking applications from rising 11th and 12th graders for the 2027-28 school year through Hamilton County Schools.

What it means for you: Mechatronics is a mix of machines, electronics and computers, the kind of skills factories all around Chattanooga are hiring for. Our students aren’t in Hamilton County’s program, but if your teenager likes taking things apart, ask the SCHS counseling office about the career and technical classes offered here at home.

👉 Read more (Local 3 News: Hamilton County Schools opens high-tech eLab)

🗓️ Dates to Pin — Plus One Thing Still Not Posted

• Fri., Oct. 23: Indians at Walker Valley, 7 p.m. Eastern = 6 p.m. Central. NewsChannel 9 says you can watch at chattanoogacw.com or on its YouTube channel.
• Fri., Oct. 23: Red Ribbon Week begins and runs through Oct. 31. It’s also the last day of the ACT Event 2 window for Tennessee’s free senior retake.
• Sat., Oct. 24, 3 p.m.: The Great Pumpkin Festival at 1958 Main Street, per the Chamber’s events calendar.
• Tue., Oct. 27: Sequatchie County school board working session.
• Sun., Nov. 1: Clocks fall back one hour.
• Mon., Nov. 2: TN Promise deadline, and the school board’s next regular meeting.
• Mon., Nov. 9, 3 p.m.: Special education consultation for private-school and homeschool families at the Sequatchie County Board of Education.

As of this morning, the district’s board page still lists the Oct. 12 agenda with no minutes posted. We’ll share the results once they’re up.

What it means for you: Seniors, Friday is the last day of the Event 2 window, so if you’re not sure where you stand, stop by the SCHS counseling office today. Everyone else, pick a spot for Friday night: the bleachers in Cleveland or the couch at home.

👉 Read more (NewsChannel 9: Friday Night Rivals — Sequatchie County at Walker Valley)

🌫️ Fog Before 8, Then Blue Skies Into the Weekend

The National Weather Service forecast for Dunlap calls for patchy fog before 8 a.m., then sunny, with a high near 76 today. Fog comes back after 4 a.m. Friday and lifts by about 8. Then it’s sunny with highs of 74 Friday, 73 Saturday and 72 Sunday. Friday night will be clear with a low around 42 and calm winds.

It’s also Day 4 of National School Bus Safety Week. The federal highway safety agency, NHTSA, reminds drivers that yellow flashing lights mean slow down and get ready to stop, and red flashing lights with the stop arm out mean stop and wait.

What it means for you: Low beams on in the fog, five extra minutes on the clock and a bright jacket at the bus stop. If you’re headed to Cleveland Friday night, take a warm coat and a blanket for the bleachers.

👉 Read more (NWS: Dunlap point forecast)

✅ Your Thursday Fridge Checklist

• ✅ Remember 18 days: that’s about where “chronically absent” starts in Tennessee.
• ✅ If a ride, food or laundry keeps a child home, call the school. Help is there.
• ✅ Tonight: SCMS vs. Soddy Daisy at home, 3:30 to 6:30 tip-offs.
• ✅ Put $1 in the backpack for Friday’s SCMS Dress Down Day.
• ✅ Griffith car line: stay in line, don’t go around, follow the monitors.
• ✅ Foggy mornings today and Friday: low beams on, red lights = stop and wait.
• ✅ Friday: Indians at Walker Valley, 6 p.m. our time, or stream it at home.
• ✅ Seniors: ACT Event 2 ends Fri., Oct. 23. TN Promise by Nov. 2.

Practical rule: Show up, slow down and wait your turn — it works in the classroom, the fog and the car line.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English School Glossary

• Chronic absenteeism: Missing 10% or more of the school year, for any reason. In a 180-day year, that’s about 18 days.
• Communities In Schools: A nonprofit that works inside schools to help students and families get past everyday barriers, like transportation or basic needs.
• JV (junior varsity): The second team, usually younger players getting game experience before moving up to varsity.
• Dress Down Day: A day students can skip the usual dress code for a small donation that supports the school.
• Car line: The line of cars at a school where parents drop off and pick up children.
• MOU: Memorandum of understanding. A written agreement, here between a school board and its teachers.
• Mechatronics: A field that blends mechanical parts, electronics and computer controls, like the robots on a factory floor.
• eLab: A digital fabrication lab where students design and build things using tools like 3D printers and robotics kits.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How much did Van Buren High cut chronic absenteeism?

The UC Now reports it fell from 23.9% at the start of last school year to 11.1% by the end, with help from Communities In Schools.

How many missed days make a student “chronically absent” in Tennessee?

Missing 10% or more of the days enrolled, which is about 18 days in a full school year. Excused and unexcused absences both count.

What time are tonight’s SCMS basketball games?

The school’s week-ahead schedule lists Girls JV at 3:30, Boys JV at 4:30, Girls varsity at 5:30 and Boys varsity at 6:30, at home against Soddy Daisy.

How does Friday’s Dress Down Day work at SCMS?

Students can take part for $1 or 7 Braves Bucks. The money supports school activities.

What are Griffith Elementary’s car-line rules?

Stay in the designated line, don’t pass around other vehicles, follow the monitors and give each student time to get in and out safely.

When does Marion County’s school board meet?

Tonight, Thursday, Oct. 22, at 5 p.m. Central at the Central Office, 204 Betsy Pack Drive in Jasper.

What time is Friday’s football game in our time?

Kickoff at Walker Valley is 7 p.m. Eastern. That’s 6 p.m. Central, Dunlap time.

Has the Sequatchie County school board posted results from Oct. 12?

Not as of this morning. The board page shows the Oct. 12 agenda only. The next working session is Tuesday, Oct. 27.

🔗 Other Resources

• The UC Now: Van Buren absenteeism story
• Tennessee Department of Education: Chronic absenteeism for families
• Dunlap.Today: SCMS week ahead
• Griffith Elementary: Drop-off and pick-up reminders
• Marion County: School Board Meeting, Oct. 22
• Local 3 News: Hamilton County eLab at Volkswagen
• NewsChannel 9: Friday Night Rivals preview
• NHTSA: School bus safety
• Red Ribbon Campaign
• ACT: Tennessee senior retake
• Sequatchie County Schools: Board agendas
• Sequatchie County Schools: Special education consultation notice
• TN Promise overview (collegefortn.org)
• Sequatchie County/Dunlap Chamber: Events
• NWS Dunlap point forecast

🏠 Keep Learning — Stay Calm

A neighbor county that found a way to bring kids back to class, a gym full of middle schoolers, and a gentle reminder to wait our turn in the car line. That’s a good Thursday. Nothing here calls for worry. Keep count of the days, put a dollar in the backpack, and ease off the gas when the fog’s in the hollow.

For more calm, practical Valley news you can use, keep reading Dunlap.Today.