🏫 Board Night, Playoff Math and a Free ACT Do-Over: Your School Week in the Valley

Or: Fall Break’s Winding Down, and the Calendar’s Filling Up Like a Church Potluck Table

Good morning. The kids are still home for a couple more days of fall break, but the school calendar on the other side of Monday is already getting crowded.

So pour that second cup and let’s sort it out together. Nothing here is cause for worry. It’s mostly dates worth writing down.

Here’s what’s happening: the school board meets Monday night at Griffith Elementary, the Lady Indians soccer team is 13-1-1 and heading into the postseason, the Indians football team is right in the playoff hunt, our neighbors in Marion and Grundy counties play a big game Friday, seniors get a free shot at the ACT this month, UT leaders came to SCHS with an invitation, there’s a simple way to see your child’s state test scores and Bledsoe County started a kind new program for kids.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Monday, Oct. 12: School starts back, and the school board meets at 6:30 p.m. at Griffith Elementary. It’s open to the public.
• Soccer fans: The Lady Indians are 13-1-1 and first in their district. Their district tournament runs this week and next.
• Football fans: The Indians are 2-1 in their region, and both remaining region games are at home. Playoff brackets come out Saturday, Oct. 31.
• Seniors: The state’s free ACT retake runs in October and early November. Ask the school counselor which date SCHS is using.
• Parents of grades 3 and up: Last spring’s TCAP scores are online at familyreport.tnedu.gov.

🏛️ The School Board Meets Monday Night at Griffith Elementary

The Sequatchie County Board of Education will meet in regular session on Monday, Oct. 12, at 6:30 p.m. at Griffith Elementary School, after a meal at 5 p.m., according to the agenda Director of Schools Sarai Pierce sent Oct. 2. That’s a week later than the usual first Monday because of fall break.

Here’s what’s on the list, in plain English:

• Medicine and allergy rules: A first look at updated policies on medicines at school, the emergency allergy response plan and the use of an opioid antagonist, which is an emergency medicine that reverses an overdose.
• The district’s game plan: Approval of the three-year District Improvement Plan and the TISA Accountability Report, which shows how state school dollars are being used.
• A student highlight from Griffith Elementary, plus choosing a board legislative liaison and a discussion of district property at 76 Jones Drive.

The board’s next regular meeting is Monday, Nov. 2, with a working session on Tuesday, Oct. 27.

What it means for you: If your child carries an EpiPen or takes medicine at school, the policy updates are worth a look. A “first reading” is like the first coat of paint. The board votes again before anything is final, so there’s time to ask questions. The agenda also includes time for public comment, and the student highlight alone is worth the drive.

👉 Read more (Oct. 12 school board agenda)

⚽ The Lady Indians Are 13-1-1 and Ready for the Postseason

Here’s a team that deserves a lot more porch talk. The Sequatchie County High School girls soccer team beat Cumberland County 3-0 on Tuesday, Oct. 6, to close the regular season at 13-1-1, according to MaxPreps. The team is 4-0 in district play and sitting in first place.

MaxPreps also reports the Lady Indians have won 14 of their last 15 home games and given up just six goals in those 15 games. That’s a defense tighter than a mason jar lid.

The school’s posted schedule shows the postseason starting with a play-in game on Thursday, Oct. 8 and the district playoffs running Oct. 12 through 16. Statewide, the Class A region tournaments follow Oct. 20 through 24.

What it means for you: Fall is usually all about Friday night football, but this is a good week to catch a soccer match, too. Check the district’s soccer schedule page or MaxPreps for game times and places before you go, since tournament brackets can shift.

👉 Read more (MaxPreps)

🏈 Playoff Math for the Indians, Made Simple

The Indians are 4-3 overall and 2-1 in Region 4-3A, according to CoachT. The region has six teams: Cascade, Community, Forrest, Giles County, Sequatchie County and Watertown. TSSAA rules send the top four teams in each region to the playoffs.

Both of the Indians’ remaining region games are at home: homecoming against Community on Friday, Oct. 16, and Giles County on Thursday, Oct. 29, according to CoachT’s schedule. (There’s also a non-region trip to Walker Valley on Oct. 23.)

TSSAA will release the playoff brackets by 10 a.m. Central on Saturday, Oct. 31, and first-round games are Friday, Nov. 6. The Class 3A state championship game is set for Dec. 4 in Chattanooga.

What it means for you: Think of it like a cakewalk at the fall festival. You don’t have to win every round, you just have to be standing on a good square when the music stops. Two home games and a loud crowd can make a real difference.

👉 Read more (CoachT: Indians schedule and region standings)

🐝 Friday’s Big Game Is Just Over the Mountain

With the Indians off this week, there’s a good game a short drive away. Marion County (7-0) plays at Grundy County (6-1) on Friday, Oct. 9, in Coalmont, a Region 3-2A matchup. MaxPreps lists a 7 p.m. kickoff.

Last Friday, the Times Free Press reported Marion County, ranked No. 2 in Class 2A, beat Bledsoe County 27-0 for its 14th straight region win. Grundy County bounced back from a one-point loss to York Institute with a 35-0 win over Monterey. Bledsoe County (5-2) hosts Grundy County on Oct. 16. And in a close one, Whitwell fell 29-28 at Midway on a late score.

What it means for you: If you’ve got a grandkid who’s been cooped up all week, a Friday night under the lights in Coalmont might be just the ticket. Bring a blanket, since the mountain air gets chilly after dark.

👉 Read more (Chattanooga Times Free Press)

📝 Seniors Get a Free Second Swing at the ACT

This is statewide news. Tennessee offers public high school seniors a free ACT retake during the school day each fall. According to ACT’s Tennessee schedule, this fall’s remaining test dates are:

• Oct. 13 (paper), or online Oct. 13 to 16 and Oct. 19 to 23
• Oct. 27 (paper), or online Oct. 27 to 30 and Nov. 2 to 6

A 21 on the ACT is one of the ways a student can qualify for the state’s HOPE Scholarship. An overall high school GPA of 3.0 is the other.

What it means for you: It’s like a second turn at the ring toss, and this one’s free. Each school picks its own dates within those windows, so ask the SCHS counseling office which day your senior tests. A good night’s sleep and a real breakfast that morning go a long way.

👉 Read more (ACT: Tennessee Senior Retake)

🎓 UT Leaders Visited SCHS With an Open Invitation

The Dunlap-Tribune reported that University of Tennessee System President Randy Boyd visited Sequatchie County High School on Oct. 1, along with UT Southern Chancellor Melinda Arnold and UT Chattanooga Vice Chancellor Artanya Wesley.

Boyd told seniors he remembered feeling anxious in 12th grade about college decisions. He reminded them that TN Promise can cover a community college or TCAT tuition, and said the most important thing is to “choose a place that truly wants you to be there.”

Two campus visit days were mentioned: UT Southern in Pulaski on Saturday, Oct. 24, and UTC on Saturday, Nov. 14.

What it means for you: Choosing a college is a little like buying a truck. You’ve got to kick the tires before you sign anything. A visit day is a low-pressure way to look around, and UTC is only about an hour’s drive from Dunlap.

👉 Read more (The Dunlap-Tribune)

📊 State Test Scores, Explained Without the Jargon

TCAP is Tennessee’s yearly state test for grades 3 through high school. The state’s news is encouraging: the Tennessee Department of Education reported in June that third grade reading scores reached their highest level since at least 2017, and fourth grade math scores also went up.

Your own child’s scores from last spring are in the free TCAP Family Portal at familyreport.tnedu.gov. You sign up with your child’s state ID number, which is printed on their score report. If you can’t find it, the school can give it to you.

What’s coming next: the state’s schedule shows public “growth” scores (called TVAAS) coming out Nov. 12. School letter grades come out later with the State Report Card. The state hasn’t posted that date yet, but staff at a state education commission said in late September to expect it in mid-January.

What it means for you: A test score is like a snapshot from one day at the fair, not the whole summer. Look for growth over time, and if something looks off, a short chat with the teacher is the best next step.

👉 Read more (Tennessee Department of Education)

💛 Quick Hit: Bledsoe County Starts “Handle With Care”

Next door in Bledsoe County, the sheriff’s office and the school system launched the Handle With Care program on Oct. 3. If a child goes through something hard at home or witnesses an emergency, officers can quietly send the school just three words, “Handle With Care,” with no details shared. That gives teachers and counselors a heads-up to be extra gentle that day. The program comes at no cost to the county.

The Bledsoe County Board of Education also meets Monday, Oct. 12, at 6 p.m. at Mary V. Wheeler Elementary.

What it means for you: Sometimes the kindest thing a grown-up can do is just know when a kid needs a little extra patience. It’s a good idea, and a quiet one.

👉 Read more (Main Street Journal)

✅ Your Back-to-School Week Checklist

• ✅ School is back Monday, Oct. 12. Homecoming dress-up days start that same morning.
• ✅ Want to hear what the board decides? Go to Griffith Elementary, Monday at 6:30 p.m.
• ✅ Child takes medicine or carries an EpiPen at school? Read the policy updates on the agenda.
• ✅ Cheer on the Lady Indians during their district tournament, Oct. 8 through 16.
• ✅ Circle Oct. 16 (Community) and Oct. 29 (Giles County), the Indians’ two home region games.
• ✅ Seniors: ask the counselor for your free ACT retake date.
• ✅ Parents: look up last spring’s scores at familyreport.tnedu.gov.

Practical rule: Write the dates on the kitchen calendar tonight, and the busy weeks take care of themselves.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English School Glossary

• First reading: The first time a school board looks at a new or changed policy. It votes again before the change is final.
• Opioid antagonist: An emergency medicine, like naloxone (Narcan), that can reverse an opioid overdose.
• District Improvement Plan: The school system’s written plan for what it wants to get better at over the next few years.
• TISA: Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement, the formula the state uses to send money to schools based on students’ needs.
• Region: The group of teams a school plays to earn a playoff spot. In football, the top four in each region make it.
• ACT Senior Retake: A free, state-paid chance for public school seniors to take the ACT again during the school day.
• HOPE Scholarship: Tennessee lottery-funded money for college, for students who meet score or grade requirements.
• TCAP: Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program, the yearly state tests.
• TVAAS: The state’s measure of how much students grew in a year, not just where they ended up.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Can anybody go to the school board meeting?

Yes. Board meetings are open to the public, and the Oct. 12 agenda includes time for public comment. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at Griffith Elementary.

Is the board making final changes to the medicine rules Monday?

No. Monday is a first reading, which is a first pass. The board would need to vote again before the changes become final.

How do the Indians make the football playoffs?

The top four teams in each six-team region make it. The Indians are 2-1 in region play with two region games left, both at home. Brackets are released Saturday, Oct. 31.

Does the ACT retake cost anything?

Not for seniors at Tennessee public high schools when they test at school on the state’s school-day dates. Ask the SCHS counseling office for your senior’s date.

Where do I find my child’s state ID number for the TCAP Family Portal?

It’s printed on your child’s TCAP score report. If you don’t have the report, call your child’s school and ask.

When will our schools’ letter grades come out?

They come out with the State Report Card. The state lists that date as “to be determined.” Staff at a state education commission said in late September to expect it in mid-January.

🔗 Other Resources

• Sequatchie County Schools: School board agendas
• Sequatchie County Schools: TISA Accountability Report page
• Sequatchie County Schools: SCHS girls soccer schedule
• TSSAA: Football playoff rules
• TSSAAsports: 2026 Class 3A football playoff schedule
• High School on SI: Marion County at Grundy County, Oct. 9
• CollegeforTN: HOPE Scholarship
• Tennessee Department of Education: TCAP Family Portal
• Tennessee Department of Education: 2025-26 accountability release timeline (PDF)
• Bledsoe County Board of Education: Oct. 12 meeting notice

🌄 Nothing to Fret Over, Just a Few Dates to Keep

When you lay it all out, this week’s school news is mostly good news: a winning soccer team, a football team in the hunt, better reading scores across the state and a free second chance for seniors. The rest is just dates, and dates are easy once they’re on the calendar.

We’ll keep watching what matters for Valley families so you don’t have to. Read Dunlap.Today and sign up for our newsletter for plain-English school updates every week.