🏫 Fall Break, Homecoming and a Few Things Worth Knowing: Your School Week in the Valley
Or: Enjoy the Quiet Week, Because Homecoming Is Coming Down the Road Fast
By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Tuesday, October 6, 2026
If the house feels a little louder this morning, there’s a good reason. Sequatchie County students are out for fall break all week.
It’s a good time to catch your breath, and a good time to get a few things lined up before school starts back on Monday.
Here’s what’s happening: fall break runs through Friday, the bus driver shortage is still causing some early bus runs, the Indians rolled past Watertown, homecoming week starts Oct. 12, a Marion County teacher earned a big state honor and seniors have a TN Promise deadline coming up.
⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds
- This week: No school Oct. 5 through 9. Classes pick back up Monday, Oct. 12.
- Bus riders: Some routes have been leaving early because of a driver shortage. Make sure the school has your current phone number, and have a backup ride in mind.
- Need work? The district is hiring substitute bus drivers.
- Game night: Homecoming is Friday, Oct. 16, against Community at 7 p.m.
- Seniors: The TN Promise application is due Nov. 2, and the FAFSA is open now.
🍂 Fall Break Is Here, So Enjoy the Breather
Sequatchie County Schools’ calendar has fall break running Monday, Oct. 5, through Friday, Oct. 9. Students return Monday, Oct. 12.
Next up on the calendar: Veterans Day on Nov. 11, then Thanksgiving break Nov. 26 and 27, with a teacher in-service day on Nov. 25.
What it means for you: Working parents, this is the week to line up child care if you haven’t already. For everybody else, it’s like halftime. Rest up, restock the snack drawer, and check that the backpack doesn’t still have a banana in the bottom from September.
👉 Read more (2026-27 district calendar, PDF)
🚌 Short on Bus Drivers, Not on Buses
The school system has been working around a bus driver shortage since late August. Local 3 News reported that on Monday, Sept. 28, Bus #1 left campus early at 1 p.m., and families on that route were notified by text and voicemail.
On Friday, Oct. 2, buses 12 and 13 left at 1 p.m., putting students at their stops about two hours early. Some riders on Signal Mountain, Ridge Road, Highpoint Ridge Road, John Burch Road and West Valley Road were moved to other buses that morning.
Director of Schools Sarai Pierce has said the district has plenty of buses but not enough drivers. Local 3 reported the district’s Facebook post listed $25.22 an hour for substitute drivers.
What it means for you: Think of it like a church potluck with plenty of casserole dishes and not enough cooks. Make sure your child’s school has your current cell number so the text reaches you. Keep a backup plan with a neighbor or grandparent. If you need a full-day ride on an early-release day, the district has asked families to make arrangements and call the school ahead of time. And if you’ve ever thought about driving a bus, the district would love to hear from you.
🏈 The Indians Rolled Past Watertown, 44-10
Sequatchie County High School put up a season-high 44 points in a 44-10 win at Watertown on Friday, Oct. 2. According to MaxPreps, that’s three wins in the last four road games, and it brings the Indians to 4-3 on the season.
The team gets an open week during fall break. Next up is homecoming against Community on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. After that, it’s a trip to Walker Valley on Oct. 23, and the regular season wraps up at home against Giles County. (Schedules list that one as Oct. 29 or Oct. 30, so check before you head out.)
What it means for you: If you missed the Watertown game, MaxPreps says a replay is on the NFHS Network. Otherwise, save your voice for homecoming.
🎉 Homecoming Week Starts the Day School Does
The school district posted the homecoming dress-up days for the week of Oct. 12:
- Monday: Make Believe Monday
- Tuesday: Take a Picture Tuesday
- Wednesday: Wild West Wednesday
- Thursday: Together Forever Thursday
- Friday: Go Indians Friday
What it means for you: Fall break is the perfect time to raid the closet. That cowboy hat in the hall closet and the old flannel shirt will handle Wild West Wednesday just fine, and anything in Indians colors works for Friday. No need to buy a thing.
👉 Read more (Sequatchie County Schools)
🍎 A Neighbor Just Over the Mountain Earns a Big State Honor
At the Tennessee Department of Education’s Excellence in Education celebration on Oct. 1, Kelly McElhiney of Marion County High School was named the East Grand Division Teacher of the Year. That’s the top teacher honor for all of East Tennessee.
A few other honorees from our corner of Tennessee: Elizabeth Kaylor of Bradley County Schools was named state Supervisor of the Year. The state Teacher of the Year is Jenna Burke, a STEM teacher at Sycamore Elementary in Collierville.
What it means for you: Great teaching is happening right here in our neck of the woods. If a teacher has made a difference for your child, a short thank-you note is like a glass of sweet tea on a hot afternoon. It costs next to nothing and means the world.
👉 Read more (Tennessee Department of Education)
🎓 Seniors: The TN Promise Clock Is Ticking (Gently)
This is statewide news that matters at every kitchen table with a high school senior.
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission says the 2027-28 FAFSA is open now at fafsa.gov. The FAFSA is the federal form that unlocks the Pell Grant, the HOPE Scholarship and TN Promise.
The TN Promise application for the Class of 2027 is due Nov. 2, 2026. TN Promise covers tuition at community colleges and Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs) after other aid is applied. The FAFSA deadline to keep TN Promise is April 1, 2027, but the state encourages filing early because some aid is first-come, first-served.
What it means for you: It’s like signing up for the county fair. Get the form in early and you don’t have to sweat the deadline. Gather your 2025 tax return and W-2s, sit down together for an evening, and knock it out. The TN Promise application is filed online in the state’s student portal.
🩹 Quick Hit: A Certified Athletic Trainer on the Sidelines
In case you missed it, The Dunlap-Tribune reported in September that Jami Wiseman, a certified athletic trainer with more than 10 years in high school athletics, has joined Sequatchie County Schools. She works with middle and high school sports and specializes in injury care and concussion checks.
What it means for you: Sports parents can rest a little easier knowing somebody trained is keeping an eye on the field.
👉 Read more (The Dunlap-Tribune)
✅ Your Fall Break Checklist
- ✅ Enjoy the week off. School is back Monday, Oct. 12.
- ✅ Confirm the school has your current cell number for bus texts and calls.
- ✅ Line up a backup ride with a neighbor or family member for early-bus days.
- ✅ Pull together homecoming dress-up outfits from what you already have.
- ✅ Seniors: file the FAFSA and submit the TN Promise application by Nov. 2.
- ✅ Mark Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. for the homecoming game.
- ✅ Know someone who’d make a good bus driver? Point them to the district.
Practical rule: Keep your phone number current and a backup ride handy, and school-week surprises turn into small bumps.
— Dunlap.Today
📚 Plain-English School Glossary
- Fall break: A week off from school in early October.
- In-service day: A day when teachers work and train but students stay home.
- Substitute bus driver: A driver who fills in on routes when regular drivers are out.
- Grand Division: Tennessee’s three big regions, East, Middle and West. Our Valley is in East Tennessee.
- FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the main form for college grants and scholarships.
- TN Promise: A state scholarship that covers community college or TCAT tuition after other aid.
- TCAT: Tennessee College of Applied Technology, a state technical school for hands-on careers.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
When does school start back?
Monday, Oct. 12. Fall break runs Oct. 5 through 9, according to the district calendar.
How will I know if my child’s bus is leaving early?
The district has been notifying affected families by text and voicemail. Make sure the school has your current phone number, and call your child’s school if you’re unsure.
What if I can’t pick up my child on an early-bus day?
The district has asked families who want their students to stay the full day to arrange transportation and to call the school ahead of time.
How do I apply to be a substitute bus driver?
Contact Sequatchie County Schools at 423-949-3617. Local 3 News reported the district’s posted pay for substitute drivers is $25.22 an hour.
When is the next school board meeting?
The Sequatchie County Board of Education usually meets the first Monday of the month at 6 p.m. at 878 Cordell Drive in Dunlap, and it’s open to the public. With fall break this week, check the district’s agenda page for October’s date.
Is the TN Promise deadline Nov. 1 or Nov. 2?
The rule is Nov. 1 or the next working day. Nov. 1 falls on a Sunday this year, so the Class of 2027 deadline is Monday, Nov. 2.
🔗 Other Resources
- Sequatchie County Schools: District calendar
- Sequatchie County Schools: School board agendas
- Sequatchie County Schools: Board members and contacts
- CoachT: Sequatchie County 2026 football schedule
- WKNO: Collierville educator named Tennessee Teacher of the Year
- THEC: 2027-28 FAFSA open for Tennessee students
- tnAchieves: TN Promise deadlines and milestones
- CollegeforTN: TN Promise quick guide (PDF)
🌄 No Need to Worry, Just Stay in the Know
Nothing on this week’s school list calls for a fret. Enjoy the break, keep your contact info current, and get those senior forms in early. The rest takes care of itself.
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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