🏫 FAFSA Season, Free Flu Shots and a Friday Night Football Mix-Up: Your School Week in the Valley
Or: The Last Quiet Day of Fall Break, and a Few Things to Tuck in Your Pocket Before Monday
Good morning. It’s the last weekday of fall break, so the alarm clocks get a little more rest before Monday.
This week’s school news is the practical kind. Nothing to worry over, just a few handy things to know.
Here’s what’s happening: the college aid form for next year is already open, free flu shots are coming to Dunlap on Oct. 20, there’s a small mix-up about when the Indians play Community, there’s a big Friday night of Valley football on the radio tonight and a Tennessee legal aid lawyer shared a simple first step if your child needs extra help at school.
⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds
- College money: The 2027-28 FAFSA is open now at fafsa.gov. It’s the form that unlocks Tennessee Promise, the HOPE Scholarship and Pell Grants.
- Flu shots: Free at the Sequatchie County Health Department, 16939 Rankin Ave., Tuesday, Oct. 20, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central, for anyone 6 months and older.
- Football: The school’s schedule shows the Indians’ homecoming game with Community on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. One local preview lists it tonight, so check before you drive over.
- Extra help at school: Put your request for a meeting in writing and send it to more than one person at the school.
- School is back Monday, Oct. 12.
🎓 The College Aid Form for Next Year Is Already Open
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission announced on Sept. 24 that the 2027-28 FAFSA is open for Tennessee students. That’s the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and it’s for students starting or continuing college or technical school in the fall of 2027.
The state says filling it out is a required step for Tennessee Promise, the HOPE Scholarship and the federal Pell Grant. Families should have tax returns and W-2 forms handy before they sit down to do it.
Tennessee has ranked No. 1 in the nation for FAFSA completion ten years running, according to the commission. Schools and community groups will hold free TN FAFSA Frenzy help events from now through April 1, 2027.
What it means for you: Think of it like getting the garden plot tilled in the fall. It’s a chore, but it sets up everything that grows in the spring. If you’ve got a senior at home, pick a quiet evening, pour two cups of coffee and do it together. Earlier this week we mentioned the TN Promise application due Nov. 2. The FAFSA is a separate form, and students need both.
👉 Read more (Tennessee Higher Education Commission)
💉 Free Flu Shots in Dunlap on Oct. 20
The Tennessee Department of Health’s Southeast Region will give free flu shots on Tuesday, Oct. 20, as part of its yearly Fight Flu TN effort.
Here in the Valley and nearby:
- Sequatchie County Health Department, 16939 Rankin Ave., Dunlap: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central
- Bledsoe County Health Department, 334 Frazier Ave., Pikeville: 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3:30 p.m. Central
- Marion County Health Department, 24 East 7th St., Jasper: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central
- Grundy County Health Department, 278 N. Industrial Park Road, Coalmont: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central
The health department encourages everyone 6 months and older to get a yearly flu shot. Young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with long-term health conditions are at the highest risk of getting seriously sick.
What it means for you: A flu shot is a bit like putting the storm windows up before winter. It doesn’t promise you won’t get a draft, but it sure helps. If your kids are in school that day, the Dunlap clinic runs until 4, so an after-school stop works. Bring Grandma too.
🏈 Is the Community Game Tonight or Next Friday?
Here’s a small head-scratcher. The Indians beat Watertown 44-10 last Friday and are 4-3 overall and 2-1 in the region.
The school’s football calendar, MaxPreps and CoachT all list the home game against Community on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. That’s homecoming night. But SValleyNow’s Friday night preview, posted Thursday, lists the same game for tonight, Oct. 9, with Country Roads 93.3 FM carrying it.
We’re going with the school’s schedule, which shows the Indians off this week. Either way, the radio crew starts its tailgate show in the 6 p.m. hour before a 7 p.m. kickoff, and the game also streams at countryroads933.com.
What it means for you: It’s like two calendars on the kitchen wall that don’t quite agree. Before you load up the lawn chairs, check the school’s athletics page or the Indians’ social media. When in doubt, plan on Oct. 16 for homecoming.
📻 Tonight’s Valley Football on the Radio
Even if you’re staying home, there’s plenty to listen to tonight. All of these kick off at 7 p.m. Central, according to SValleyNow:
- Marion County (7-0) at Grundy County (6-1) in Coalmont, on 104.9 and theriver1049.com
- Lookout Valley (2-5) at South Pittsburg (5-1), on 104.9 FM, 910 AM and theriver1049.com
- Whitwell (2-5, 2-0 in the district) at Sale Creek (4-2), streaming at theriver1049.com
Bledsoe County has an open week and returns next Friday against Grundy County.
What it means for you: A football game on the radio is the original front-porch entertainment. Turn it up, grab a jacket and enjoy a cool October evening.
📝 If Your Child Needs Extra Help, Start With a Letter
In an Oct. 8 column in the Crossville Chronicle, Rachel Moses, an attorney with the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, wrote about what parents can do if a child is struggling at school because of learning, medical or behavior needs.
Her advice for the first step is simple: email or write a letter asking for a meeting with the school, and send it to more than one person there so the request is on record. The Legal Aid Society offers free legal help to families with lower incomes, including on school issues.
What it means for you: It’s like writing down the date you planted the tomatoes. When it’s on paper, nobody has to remember it. Most of the time a calm, friendly note to the teacher and the principal gets things moving. Keep a copy for yourself.
👉 Read more (Crossville Chronicle)
🍎 Quick Hit: A School Lunch Truck Hits the Road in Anderson County
Over in East Tennessee, Anderson County Schools sent out its new “Happy Lunch Box” food truck this fall break, handing out free lunches to kids at Briceville and Lake City elementary schools, WBIR reported. The district plans two runs a week during longer breaks like winter and summer.
What it means for you: It’s a nice reminder that a lot of folks are working hard to make sure no kid goes hungry on a day off. If you know a family that’s stretched thin this weekend, a covered dish goes a long way.
✅ Your Last-Day-of-Break Checklist
- ✅ School is back Monday, Oct. 12. Backpacks by the door Sunday night.
- ✅ Seniors: start the 2027-28 FAFSA at fafsa.gov, and keep the TN Promise deadline of Nov. 2 in mind too.
- ✅ Mark Tuesday, Oct. 20: free flu shots, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sequatchie County Health Department.
- ✅ Homecoming vs. Community: plan on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m., and double-check the school’s schedule.
- ✅ Want to listen tonight? 104.9 FM has Valley games, and Country Roads 93.3 FM carries the Indians.
- ✅ Child struggling? Ask for a meeting in writing, and keep a copy.
Practical rule: When two schedules disagree, trust the school’s own calendar and make one quick call.
— Dunlap.Today
📚 Plain-English School Glossary
- FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It’s one form that helps decide federal, state and many college scholarships and grants.
- Pell Grant: Federal money for college that, in most cases, doesn’t have to be paid back.
- TN FAFSA Frenzy: Free help events across Tennessee where people walk families through the FAFSA.
- THEC: The Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the state office that coordinates colleges and student aid.
- Fight Flu TN: The state health department’s yearly day of free flu shots at local health departments.
- Open week (or bye): A Friday with no game on a team’s schedule.
- Legal aid: Free legal help for people with lower incomes.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
My child is a junior. Do they need the FAFSA now?
The 2027-28 form is for students starting college in fall 2027, which mostly means this year’s seniors. Juniors will use next year’s form. A school counselor can tell you for sure.
Is the FAFSA the same as the TN Promise application?
No. They’re two different forms. Tennessee Promise has its own application, due Nov. 2, and students who want Tennessee Promise also need to file the FAFSA.
Do I need insurance or an appointment for the free flu shot?
The health department’s announcement doesn’t list any of those as requirements. It says the shots are free for anyone 6 months and older. If you have questions, call the Sequatchie County Health Department before you go.
So is the Indians’ game tonight or next week?
The school’s schedule, MaxPreps and CoachT all show Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m., which is homecoming night. One local preview lists it tonight. Check the school’s athletics page before heading out.
Does asking for a school meeting in writing mean I’m being difficult?
Not at all. A written request just keeps everyone on the same page. Keep it short and friendly, and say what you’re seeing at home.
🔗 Other Resources
- Federal Student Aid: Start the FAFSA
- CollegeforTN: TN Promise
- Tennessee Department of Health: Southeast Region Fight Flu locations (PDF)
- Tennessee Department of Health: Fight Flu event locations
- MaxPreps: Community at Sequatchie County, Oct. 16
- Sequatchie County Schools
🌄 One Quiet Friday, Then Back to It
When you lay it all out, this week is about getting ready. There’s a form to start, a shot to schedule and a game to double-check. None of it’s urgent, and all of it’s easier with a little head start.
We’ll keep an eye on 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.
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