🎒 Playoff Road-Trip Tips, Two School Boards Meet Monday, and Your Thanksgiving Break Dates

Or: What to Pack for Friday’s Trip, Monday’s Two Board Meetings, and When the Kids Are Home for Thanksgiving

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Sunday, November 1, 2026

Good Sunday morning, and welcome to standard time. If the house feels a little brighter at breakfast, that’s the clocks. We “fell back” an hour at 2 a.m. The National Weather Service says showers are likely early today, mainly before 8 a.m., then a mostly cloudy day with a high near 61.

A Sunday before a school week is like laying out your work clothes the night before. Five quiet minutes now save a scramble on Monday morning.

Here’s the roundup: The Indians open the Class 3A playoffs Friday at Chattanooga Prep, and the host school has a clear-bag rule. Playoff tickets are phone-only on GoFan. Two school boards meet Monday night: Sequatchie County in Dunlap and Bledsoe County in Pikeville. Bledsoe students who signed up get flu shots Monday. Sequatchie County invites private-school and homeschool families to a special-education meeting on Nov. 9. We also have this week’s schedule changes, Thanksgiving break dates by county, when basketball tips off and a calm weather check.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Monday, Nov. 2: Last day for seniors to apply for TN Promise. If it’s not done, do it today.
• Monday, 6 p.m.: Sequatchie County school board at 878 Cordell Drive, Dunlap, and Bledsoe County school board at Rigsby Elementary, Pikeville.
• Tuesday, Nov. 3 (Election Day): School in Sequatchie County. No school in Bledsoe County. Van Buren County lists an optional in-service day.
• Wednesday, Nov. 4: Marion County has a half day (morning only) for students.
• Friday, Nov. 6: Indians at Chattanooga Prep, 7 p.m. Eastern = 6 p.m. Central. Clear bags only. Tickets $8 on GoFan (phone only) or $10 cash at the gate.
• Monday, Nov. 9, 3 p.m.: Special-education meeting for private-school and homeschool families at the Sequatchie County Board of Education.

🏈 Friday’s Playoff Trip: What to Know Before You Leave Dunlap

We told you yesterday who the Indians play. Today, here’s how to get in the gate without a hitch. Sequatchie County (5-5) plays at Chattanooga Prep on Friday, Nov. 6, in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs. TSSAA says playoff games start at 7 p.m. local time. Chattanooga is on Eastern time, so that’s 6 p.m. on Dunlap clocks. Chattanooga Prep hosted its home games this season at the school, 1849 Union Ave. in Chattanooga. Watch the Indians’ and the school’s posts to confirm the field.

• Clear bags only. Chattanooga Prep’s posted event rules allow clear bags and a small clutch purse (no bigger than about 4.5 by 6.5 inches). Backpacks, fanny packs, large purses and diaper-style totes are not allowed. Medically needed bags are allowed after inspection.
• Bags may be checked at the gate.
• No outside food or drinks, except for documented medical needs.
• No re-entry. Once you leave, your ticket is done for the night.
• Tickets: TSSAA says playoff tickets are $8 in advance on GoFan or $10 at the gate in cash. GoFan tickets are “mobile only”. You show them on your phone, and printouts aren’t accepted. Everyone school-age and older needs a ticket. The game is already listed on GoFan.
• If the weather turns bad: TSSAA rules say a postponed game is played the next day, Saturday, also at 7 p.m., unless both schools agree on another time. Two schools can also agree to move a game to Thursday, so check for changes during the week.

What it means for you: A playoff road trip is like taking the family to a cousin’s wedding in the city. The day is all joy, but you want to know the dress code before you go. Leave the backpack in the truck, bring a clear bag or just your pockets, charge your phone, and tuck $10 cash in your wallet in case the phone gives out. And remember: 6 p.m. our time, not 7.

👉 Read more (Chattanooga Prep: Athletic event entry rules)

🏛️ Monday Night: Two School Boards, Two Towns

Two of our school boards hold their regular meetings Monday, Nov. 2, both at 6 p.m. Central time:

• Sequatchie County Board of Education: at the board office, 878 Cordell Drive, Dunlap. We walked through the agenda yesterday. It includes the bus garage roof bid, internal school audits, student-health policies on medicines, allergy emergencies and overdose-reversal medicine, and the possible sale of 76 Jones Drive.
• Bledsoe County Board of Education: at Rigsby Elementary School in Pikeville. The district says agendas are posted on its website calendar under the meeting date once they’re ready.

What it means for you: School board meetings are like the monthly church business meeting. Most of it is roofs, budgets and paperwork, but it’s where the decisions get made, and anyone may sit in. You don’t have to speak. Just listening once a year tells you a lot about how your schools are run.

👉 Read more (Bledsoe County Schools: Upcoming board meeting)

💉 Bledsoe County: Flu Shots at School Monday

Bledsoe County Schools has partnered with the local health department so students and staff can get their yearly flu shot at school. The shots will be given on Monday, Nov. 2, and only to students who signed up by the deadline.

What it means for you: This one’s like the church van picking you up for the potluck. It’s easy if you signed up. If your Bledsoe student is signed up, a short-sleeve shirt Monday makes things quicker. If you missed it, there’s no need to fret. Ask your doctor, pharmacy or the county health department about getting a flu shot another way.

👉 Read more (Bledsoe County Schools: Flu clinic)

🧩 For Private-School and Homeschool Families: A Special-Education Meeting Nov. 9

Sequatchie County Schools invites parents and guardians of students in private schools or homeschool programs to a special-education consultation meeting on Monday, Nov. 9, at 3 p.m. at the Sequatchie County Board of Education. The district says the meeting will cover the special-education services it offers, answer questions and explain how a child is found eligible for support. It’s meant for families who think their child may have a disability that affects learning. Can’t make it? Call 423-949-3617.

What it means for you: Homeschooling or private school doesn’t mean you’re on your own. It’s like having a well on your own land and still having the county water line run past your gate. The help is there if you need it. If you’ve wondered about your child’s reading, speech or learning, this is a no-pressure way to ask questions. Write Nov. 9, 3 p.m. on the calendar, and pass the word to a homeschooling neighbor.

👉 Read more (Sequatchie County Schools: Special education consultation meeting)

🗓️ This Week’s Schedule Changes, and Thanksgiving Break by County

This week’s school days don’t look the same in every county:

• Tuesday, Nov. 3 (Election Day): Sequatchie County’s calendar does not list a day off, so plan on school. Bledsoe County has no school. Van Buren County’s calendar lists an optional in-service day.
• Wednesday, Nov. 4: Marion County students have a half day (morning only). Teachers stay for a full staff day.
• Wednesday, Nov. 11 (Veterans Day): No school in Sequatchie and Marion counties.

And for those planning ahead to Thanksgiving:

• Sequatchie County: Wednesday, Nov. 25, is an in-service day (no school for students), and Nov. 26–27 is Thanksgiving Break.
• Marion County: Thanksgiving holidays Nov. 23–27, the whole week.
• Van Buren County: Thanksgiving Break Nov. 25–27.
• Other counties: Check your district’s calendar before you book a trip.

What it means for you: A school calendar is like a quilt. Every county stitched its own pattern. If you have grandkids in two counties, or you work in one county and your kids go to school in another, check each calendar separately. Tape the Thanksgiving dates to the fridge now, before the turkey talk starts.

👉 Read more (Sequatchie County Schools: 2026–27 calendar, PDF)

🏀 Statewide: Basketball Is Coming, and Cross Country Runs for State This Week

Statewide. Football isn’t the only season on the calendar. TSSAA’s basketball calendar shows high school practice began Oct. 26. Optional “Hall of Champions” games are allowed Nov. 16–21, and the first regular-season games can be played Monday, Nov. 23. Meanwhile, the TSSAA cross country state championships are Thursday and Friday, Nov. 5–6, at Shelby Farms Park in Memphis.

What it means for you: Fall sports and winter sports overlap like the last tomatoes and the first collards in the garden. If your child plays basketball, ask the coach for the schedule now. It’ll tell you which nights are already spoken for. If your school has a runner headed to Memphis, a good-luck message before Thursday goes a long way.

👉 Read more (TSSAA: 2026–27 basketball calendar, PDF)

🌦️ A Damp Start, a Nice Monday, and a Wet Wednesday

The National Weather Service forecast for Dunlap: today, showers likely mainly before 8 a.m., then mostly cloudy, near 61. Monday is mostly sunny, near 72, and Tuesday is mostly sunny, near 74, with gusts up to 20 mph. Wednesday brings showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm (70 percent), with a high near 70. Friday, playoff day, shows a 20 percent chance of showers, partly sunny, near 70, and Friday night is partly cloudy, with a low around 47.

What it means for you: This is the first school week on standard time. Mornings at the bus stop are lighter, but it gets dark about an hour earlier in the evening. That matters for kids walking home from practice and for Friday’s drive back from Chattanooga. Pack rain jackets Wednesday, and a warm layer for Friday night in the stands.

👉 Read more (NWS: Dunlap point forecast)

✅ Your Sunday Week-Ahead Checklist

• ✅ Today: make sure the stove, car and wall clocks are set back an hour.
• ✅ Seniors: TN Promise closes Monday. Finish it today if it’s not done.
• ✅ Sequatchie families: plan on school Tuesday. Bledsoe families: no school Tuesday.
• ✅ Marion families: arrange Wednesday afternoon pickup for the half day.
• ✅ Football fans: buy tickets on GoFan, bring a clear bag or none, carry $10 cash as a backup, and leave by 6 p.m. Central kickoff time with room to spare.
• ✅ Homeschool and private-school families: Nov. 9, 3 p.m., special-education meeting, or call 423-949-3617.
• ✅ Put Thanksgiving break dates on the fridge.
• ✅ Wednesday: rain jackets in the backpacks.

Practical rule: When you’re headed to someone else’s house, learn their rules before you leave yours. Clear bag, phone charged, cash in your pocket, and 6 p.m. our time.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English School Glossary

• Clear-bag policy: A rule that only see-through bags can come into a stadium, so security checks move faster.
• Mobile-only ticket: A ticket you show on your phone screen. Paper printouts don’t work.
• No re-entry: If you leave the stadium, you can’t come back in on the same ticket.
• Game director: Under TSSAA rules, the host school’s principal, who runs the playoff game and can postpone it for bad weather.
• Regular session (board meeting): The monthly public meeting where a school board votes.
• Special-education consultation: A meeting where a school district explains to private-school and homeschool families what disability services it offers and asks for their input.
• Eligibility: The process that decides whether a child qualifies for special-education services.
• In-service day: A day when teachers train or plan and students stay home.
• Half day / abbreviated day: Students go home early, usually around midday.
• Hall of Champions games: Optional early-season basketball games that don’t count toward a team’s regular-season game limit.
• Standard time: The “fall back” clock setting we use from November to March.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What time is Friday’s playoff game in Dunlap time?

TSSAA says first-round games start at 7 p.m. local time. Chattanooga Prep is on Eastern time, so kickoff is 6 p.m. Central.

Where is the game?

At Chattanooga Prep. The school hosted its home games this season at 1849 Union Ave. in Chattanooga. Watch the school’s posts to confirm the field.

Can I bring a backpack or my purse?

Not a regular one. Chattanooga Prep’s rules allow clear bags, a small clutch about 4.5 by 6.5 inches, and medically needed bags after inspection.

Can I print my GoFan ticket?

No. TSSAA says playoff GoFan tickets are mobile only and must be shown on your phone. You can also pay $10 cash at the gate.

Do kids need a ticket?

TSSAA says everyone school-age and older must buy a ticket.

What happens if it storms Friday?

Under TSSAA rules, a postponed game is played Saturday at 7 p.m. local time unless both schools agree on a different time.

Is there school on Election Day?

Sequatchie County’s calendar doesn’t list a day off, so plan on school. Bledsoe County has no school. Van Buren County lists an optional in-service day. Check other districts’ calendars.

My child is homeschooled. Can they get special-education help?

Sequatchie County Schools is holding a meeting on Nov. 9 at 3 p.m. to explain the services it offers and how eligibility works. Call 423-949-3617 if you can’t attend.

When does Thanksgiving break start?

For students, Sequatchie County is out Nov. 25–27, and Van Buren County is too. Marion County is out the whole week, Nov. 23–27.

🔗 Other Resources

• TSSAA: Football playoff game instructions (times, tickets, weather)
• TSSAA: Football playoff brackets set for 2026
• GoFan: Chattanooga Prep vs. Sequatchie County, Nov. 6
• Chattanooga Prep: Athletic event entry rules and clear-bag policy
• Chattanoogan.com: Prep football playoff matchups
• Sequatchie County Schools: School board agendas
• Bledsoe County Schools
• Bledsoe County Schools: Flu clinic
• Bledsoe County Schools: No school Nov. 3
• Sequatchie County Schools: Special education consultation meeting
• Sequatchie County Schools: 2026–27 calendar (PDF)
• Marion County Schools: 2026–27 calendar (PDF)
• Van Buren County Schools: 2026–27 calendar listing
• TSSAA: 2026–27 basketball calendar (PDF)
• TSSAA: Cross country state championship information
• CollegeforTN.org (TN Promise)
• NWS Dunlap point forecast

🏠 Keep Learning — Stay Calm

A playoff trip with a few new rules, two board meetings, a flu clinic, a helpful meeting for homeschool families and a calendar to tape to the fridge. None of it calls for worry. It just asks for a little planning, and you’ve already done the hardest part by reading this far. Pour another cup, mark the dates, and enjoy the extra hour of morning light.

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