🏫 Homecoming Week Starts Monday: Dress-Up Days, Board Night and a Big Soccer Week

Or: Backpacks Ready, Spirit Days Lined Up, and a Few Dates for the Fridge

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Saturday, October 10, 2026

Good morning. Fall break is in the rearview mirror, and Monday the lunchboxes come back out.

This weekend’s school news is the practical kind. Nothing to fret over. Just a clear week ahead so nobody’s scrambling at the kitchen table.

Here’s what’s happening: Homecoming Week dress-up days start Monday, the school board meets Monday night at Griffith Elementary, the Lady Indians open district soccer this week, Friday’s Valley football scores are in, seniors still have free ACT retake windows and after Isaias rain, Monday roads may still be slick.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Monday, Oct. 12: Sequatchie County students are back. Dress theme is Make Believe Monday.
• Board night: 6:30 p.m. Monday at Griffith Elementary. Open to the public.
• Homecoming Friday: Indians vs. Community, Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. Dress theme that day is Go Indians Friday.
• Soccer: Lady Indians (13-1-1) play district tournament games Oct. 12–16. Semifinal listed at home next Tuesday — confirm time before you go.
• Neighbors: Marion County and Hamilton County schools are on fall break Oct. 12–16.
• Seniors: Free ACT Event 2 windows start Oct. 13. Ask the counseling office which day SCHS uses.

🎉 Homecoming Week Dress-Up Days — Pin This to the Fridge

Griffith Elementary and Sequatchie County Schools posted the official Homecoming Week spirit days. Students and staff are invited to join in each day as the count-down runs to Friday night’s game.

• Monday, Oct. 12 — Make Believe Monday
• Tuesday, Oct. 13 — Take a Picture Tuesday
• Wednesday, Oct. 14 — Wild West Wednesday
• Thursday, Oct. 15 — Together Forever Thursday
• Friday, Oct. 16 — Go Indians Friday

MaxPreps, CoachT and the school’s schedule all list the homecoming football game as Community at Sequatchie County on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. in Dunlap. That matches Go Indians Friday. (A midweek preview had listed the Community game for last night; Friday’s Times Free Press scoreboard did not post a Sequatchie–Community final, which lines up with the Oct. 16 date.)

What it means for you: Think of it like packing for Vacation Bible School week — five little themes, one big Friday. Lay outfits out Sunday night so Monday morning isn’t a scramble. If you’ve got a cowboy hat for Wednesday or an orange-and-black shirt for Friday, you’re already ahead of Cousin Billy.

👉 Read more (Sequatchie County Schools: Homecoming dress-up themes)

🚌 School’s Back Monday — And Lunch Week Starts Too

Sequatchie County’s fall break ran Oct. 5–9. Students return Monday, Oct. 12, according to the district calendar.

Two neighboring systems take the next week off: Marion County and Hamilton County list fall break as Oct. 12–16. Bledsoe County took the same week Sequatchie did.

Oct. 12–16 is also National School Lunch Week. Sequatchie County Schools have been a Community Eligibility Provision district, which means breakfast and lunch can be served to every student at no cost when the district qualifies for that year. Call the district office at (423) 949-3617 if you want to confirm this year’s meal setup.

What it means for you: If your grandkids live in Jasper or Chattanooga, they may still be home next week while Dunlap kids are back in class. Line up rides and childcare now. And if mornings are hectic, school breakfast is one less pan to wash.

👉 See the calendar (Sequatchie County Schools 2026–27)

🏛️ Board Night at Griffith Elementary on Monday

The Sequatchie County Board of Education meets in regular session Monday, Oct. 12, at 6:30 p.m. at Griffith Elementary, after a meal at 5 p.m. The meeting was shifted a week because of fall break. The Oct. 12 agenda is posted on the district’s board-agenda page.

In plain English, items already listed for families to watch include:

• A first reading of updated policies on medicines at school, the emergency allergy response plan and the use of an opioid antagonist (emergency medicine that can reverse an overdose)
• Approval of the three-year District Improvement Plan and the TISA Accountability Report
• A Griffith Elementary student presentation, selecting a board legislative liaison and discussion of district property at 76 Jones Drive

Public comment is part of the agenda. The board’s next regular meeting is listed for Monday, Nov. 2, with a working session Tuesday, Oct. 27.

What it means for you: A first reading is like the first coat of paint — nothing is final until the board votes again. If your child carries an EpiPen or takes medicine at school, this is a good night to listen. Bring a notebook; leave the soapbox at home.

👉 Read the agenda (Oct. 12 Board Agenda PDF)

⚽ Lady Indians: District Tournament Week

The Sequatchie County High School girls soccer team finished the regular season 13-1-1 with a 3-0 win over Cumberland County on Oct. 6, according to MaxPreps and Dunlap.Today coverage. They’re first in district play.

The school’s soccer schedule shows district playoffs running Oct. 12 through 16, after a play-in window that began Oct. 8. Local coverage says the Lady Indians host a semifinal at home next Tuesday. Class A region tournaments statewide follow Oct. 20–24.

Tournament brackets can shift, so always confirm the kickoff time before you load the car.

What it means for you: Friday night football gets most of the porch talk, but this is a proud week for Valley soccer. Pack a folding chair and cheer loud — single-elimination games move fast.

👉 See the schedule (SCHS girls soccer)

🏈 Friday Night Scoreboard — Indians Were Off, Neighbors Played

The Indians had an open week. Here’s what the Times Free Press posted for Friday, Oct. 9, around the Valley:

• Marion County 32, Grundy County 12 in Coalmont
• Whitwell 31, Sale Creek 23
• South Pittsburg 84, Lookout Valley 0

Next up for Sequatchie County football: homecoming vs. Community on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m., then a non-region trip to Walker Valley on Oct. 23 and region home vs. Giles County on Oct. 29. TSSAA playoff brackets are due by 10 a.m. Central on Saturday, Oct. 31.

What it means for you: An open week is like a rest stop on a long drive. Use it to plan lawn chairs and radio dials for homecoming. Country Roads 93.3 FM usually carries Indians games when they play.

👉 Read more (Times Free Press: Friday area scores)

📝 Seniors: Free ACT Event 2 Windows Open Next Week

Tennessee still offers public high school seniors a free school-day ACT retake. ACT’s Tennessee schedule lists:

• Event 2: paper on Oct. 13; online windows Oct. 13–16 and Oct. 19–23
• Event 3: paper on Oct. 27; online windows Oct. 27–30 and Nov. 2–6

Each school picks its own date inside those windows. A 21 on the ACT is one path to the HOPE Scholarship (a 3.0 GPA is the other).

What it means for you: It’s a free second turn at the ring toss. Call the SCHS counseling office Monday and write the date on the kitchen calendar. Sleep and breakfast matter more than last-minute cramming.

👉 Read more (ACT: Tennessee Senior Retake dates)

🌧️ After Isaias: Give Monday Roads Extra Room

Saturday is the main rain-and-wind day from Isaias’s remnants across the Sequatchie Valley, according to local forecasts. Gusty winds, heavy rain and possible downed limbs were the main concerns for Marion, Sequatchie, Bledsoe and Hamilton counties. Flood Watch and Wind Advisory coverage ran through Sunday morning in earlier local updates.

By Monday morning, the big weather push should be past — but wet leaves, soft shoulders and leftover debris can still slow a school bus.

What it means for you: Leave five extra minutes for the bus stop. If power flickered overnight, Sequachee Valley Electric’s outage line is 1-888-421-7832. Check the district’s Facebook or website Sunday evening for any delay notices before you set the alarm.

👉 Read more (SValleyNow: Isaias weekend outlook)

✅ Your Homecoming Week Checklist

• ✅ School is back Monday, Oct. 12 — theme is Make Believe Monday.
• ✅ Pin the full dress-up list: Picture Tuesday, Wild West Wednesday, Together Forever Thursday, Go Indians Friday.
• ✅ Board meeting: Monday, 6:30 p.m., Griffith Elementary.
• ✅ Cheer the Lady Indians during district soccer, Oct. 12–16 (confirm times).
• ✅ Homecoming football: Community, Friday, Oct. 16, 7 p.m.
• ✅ Kids in Marion or Hamilton County? They’re off Oct. 12–16.
• ✅ Seniors: ask counseling for your free ACT Event 2 or 3 date.
• ✅ After the rain: leave early Monday and watch for wet leaves on the road.

Practical rule: Write the dress-up themes and the Oct. 16 kickoff on the fridge tonight, and the week runs itself.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English School Glossary

• Homecoming Week: A school spirit week of dress-up days leading up to a big home football game and related events.
• First reading: The first time a school board reviews a new or changed policy. It votes again before the change is final.
• Opioid antagonist: Emergency medicine, such as naloxone (Narcan), that can reverse an opioid overdose.
• TISA: Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement, the formula the state uses to send money to schools based on students’ needs.
• District tournament: The first playoff round inside a school’s district; winners move on to the region.
• Open week (or bye): A Friday with no game on a team’s schedule.
• ACT Senior Retake: A free, state-paid chance for public school seniors to take the ACT again during the school day.
• Community Eligibility Provision (CEP): A federal option that can let a whole district serve free breakfast and lunch to every student when it qualifies.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What should my child wear Monday?

Monday is Make Believe Monday. Costumes or pretend outfits that follow school dress rules work. If you’re unsure, a simple creative shirt beats anything that would get them sent to the office.

Is the Community football game this Friday or next?

Next Friday — Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. in Dunlap. That’s homecoming night and Go Indians Friday.

Can anybody go to the school board meeting?

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

When is the Lady Indians soccer semifinal?

Local coverage lists a home semifinal next Tuesday during the Oct. 12–16 district window. Confirm the exact time on the school’s soccer schedule or MaxPreps before you go.

Do seniors have to pay for the ACT retake?

Not when they test at school on the state’s school-day dates. Ask the SCHS counseling office which Event 2 or Event 3 date your senior uses.

Will school be delayed Monday because of Isaias?

As of Saturday morning, no Sequatchie County delay is posted in the sources we checked. Weather can change road conditions overnight, so check the district’s official channels Sunday evening.

🔗 Other Resources

• Sequatchie County Schools: Homecoming Week dress-up themes
• Sequatchie County Schools: Board agendas
• Oct. 12, 2026 Board Agenda (PDF)
• SCHS 2026–27 girls soccer schedule
• MaxPreps: Community at Sequatchie County, Oct. 16
• ACT: Tennessee Senior Retake
• Sequachee Valley Electric: outage information
• Sequatchie County Schools

🌄 A Quiet Weekend, Then a Loud, Happy Week

When you lay it all out, next week is about spirit shirts, one board meeting and a soccer team worth cheering. The storm will pass, the buses will roll and Friday night under the lights will feel like fall again.

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.