🏫 Together Forever Thursday: Lady Indians Host CSAS Tonight, Homecoming Tomorrow

Or: Match With a Buddy Today, Soccer Under the Lights Tonight and Community Friday

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Thursday, October 15, 2026

Good morning. The buses are rolling and Sequatchie County kids are dressing for Together Forever Thursday — matching outfits with a sibling, friend or classmate as Homecoming Week hits the home stretch.

This is the Thursday porch talk — short enough for coffee, sticky enough to live under a magnet until Friday night under the lights.

Here’s what’s happening: dress-up continues TODAY, the Lady Indians host CSAS tonight at 7 p.m. in a district tournament match (they sit at 14-1-1 after Tuesday’s 9-0 Sale Creek win), and homecoming football is Community tomorrow at 7 p.m. with a morning parade to plan around. Board minutes from Monday’s Griffith meeting are still not posted — so we won’t invent any votes. Free ACT Event 2 windows are still open, seniors still have a Nov. 2 TN Promise deadline, National School Lunch Week wraps tomorrow, and Marion and Hamilton County neighbors stay on fall break through Friday.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• TODAY, Oct. 15: Dress theme is Together Forever Thursday. Sunny — NWS Dunlap high near 89°F. Water bottle for the afternoon.
• Soccer TONIGHT: Lady Indians host CSAS at 7:00 p.m. CDT (district tournament). Record 14-1-1. Confirm before you go — brackets can shift.
• Tomorrow: Dress is Go Indians Friday. Homecoming parade morning (library weekly lists 9:30 a.m. — call ahead). Football: Community at Sequatchie, 7 p.m.
• Board: Met Monday, Oct. 12, at Griffith. Minutes/results still not posted. Next regular meeting Nov. 2; working session Oct. 27.
• ACT this week: Event 2 online windows Oct. 13–16 and Oct. 19–23. Ask SCHS counseling which day your senior uses.
• Seniors: TN Promise applications due Nov. 2. FAFSA 2027–28 opened Oct. 1.
• Neighbors: Marion County and Hamilton County schools are on fall break Oct. 12–16.

👯 TODAY: Together Forever Thursday — Then Go Indians Friday

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 ← done
• Tuesday, Oct. 13 — Take a Picture Tuesday ← done
• Wednesday, Oct. 14 — Wild West Wednesday ← done
• Thursday, Oct. 15 — Together Forever Thursday ← today
• Friday, Oct. 16 — Go Indians Friday

Matching with a sibling or best friend is the whole idea — school dress rules still apply. Think twin shirts, not Cousin Billy’s matching tuxedo rental. Lay out purple and gold for tomorrow tonight so Friday morning doesn’t sound like a barn auction.

What it means for you: Snap a quick matching photo before the bus if you want one. Then pin Go Indians Friday and the parade curb time so tomorrow runs itself.

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

⚽ Lady Indians Host CSAS TONIGHT at 7 — District Tournament

MaxPreps lists the Sequatchie County High School girls soccer team at 14-1-1 after beating Sale Creek 9-0 on Tuesday, Oct. 13. Tonight they host Chattanooga School for the Arts & Sciences (CSAS) at 7:00 p.m. CDT in a district tournament match. CSAS enters at 8-7-1 after a 7-0 win over Bledsoe County on Tuesday.

Tournament brackets can shift, so always confirm the kickoff time before you load the car. The school soccer schedule has shown district play running through Oct. 16 — treat tonight as the folding-chair appointment on the fridge.

What it means for you: Pack light layers for a warm evening (tonight’s low near 63°F). Leave the air horn at home unless the coaches say otherwise. If you’re bringing littles, a water bottle and a snack beat a long walk back to the truck.

👉 Read more (MaxPreps: CSAS at Sequatchie County, Oct. 15)

🏈 Homecoming Tomorrow — Parade Morning, Community at 7

The Indians are 4-3 overall and 2-1 in Region 4-3A (third in the region), according to MaxPreps. Homecoming football is Community at Sequatchie County on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. CDT in Dunlap. MaxPreps lists Community at 0-8 overall (0-3 in conference) heading into the game.

Friday morning brings the homecoming parade. The Sequatchie County Public Library’s weekly listing says 9:30 a.m. (an earlier calendar line had said about 9 a.m.), so call ahead or be curbside early. The library notes no Preschool Page Turners that morning but will stay open during the parade. Dress theme for the school day is Go Indians Friday.

Both remaining region games for the Indians are at home after this one: Giles County is listed later (MaxPreps shows Oct. 29/30 depending on the listing). There’s also a non-region trip to Walker Valley on Oct. 23. TSSAA rules send the top four teams in each region to the playoffs; the Class 3A state championship is set for Dec. 4 in Chattanooga.

What it means for you: Think of Friday like a two-act play — parade curb in the morning, lights at 7. Confirm the parade minute with the district at (423) 949-3617 if you need a firm time. Country Roads 93.3 FM usually carries Indians games when they play. Pack a warmer layer for kickoff — Friday night cools into the mid-40s with northwest gusts.

👉 Read more (MaxPreps: Community at Sequatchie County, Oct. 16)

🏛️ Board Met Monday — Minutes Still Not Posted

The Sequatchie County Board of Education met in regular session Monday, Oct. 12, at 6:30 p.m. at Griffith Elementary. The Oct. 12 agenda is still posted on the district’s board-agenda page. As of Thursday morning, approved minutes and vote results are still not posted — so we will not invent what passed.

Items that were listed on the public agenda for families to watch included a first reading of updated policies on medicines at school, the emergency allergy response plan and the use of an opioid antagonist; 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.

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. When minutes go up, we’ll pass them along in plain English. Bring a notebook next time; leave the soapbox at home.

👉 Read more (Sequatchie County Schools: Board agendas)

🍎 National School Lunch Week Wraps Tomorrow

National School Lunch Week runs Oct. 12–16 nationwide. The School Nutrition Association’s 2026 theme is “Cafeteria Circus” — a lighthearted way to spotlight the folks who feed kids every day.

Closer to home: The Dunlap-Tribune reported in September that all three Sequatchie County school cafeterias scored a perfect 100 on their Tennessee Department of Health food-service inspections. Nutrition supervisor Cindy Stevens and Director of Schools Sarai Pierce praised the kitchen staff. The same report noted that cafeterias prepare and serve breakfast and lunch each school day at no cost to families, regardless of income.

If you have meal questions, call the district office at (423) 949-3617.

What it means for you: One more school day to say thank you to the cafeteria crew. If mornings are hectic, school breakfast is still one less pan to wash.

👉 Read more (Dunlap-Tribune: perfect cafeteria scores)

📝 Seniors: ACT Event 2 Still Open — Plus TN Promise by Nov. 2

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

• Event 2: standard-time paper on Oct. 13; online windows Oct. 13–16 and Oct. 19–23 (accommodations use the same windows)
• Event 3: paper on Oct. 27; online windows Oct. 27–30 and Nov. 2–6

Each school picks its own date inside those windows. Ask the SCHS counseling office which day your senior uses. A 21 on the ACT is one path to the HOPE Scholarship (a 3.0 GPA is the other).

Separately, Tennessee Promise — the state’s last-dollar scholarship for community college or a Tennessee College of Applied Technology — has an application deadline of Nov. 2, 2026 for the Class of 2027. Students apply through the THEC Student Portal at collegefortn.org. The FAFSA for 2027–28 opened Oct. 1; Promise applicants must also complete the FAFSA by April 1, 2027, attend a mandatory meeting and complete community-service hours. Sequatchie County seniors are coordinated through tnAchieves.

What it means for you: If your senior hasn’t tested yet inside Event 2, call counseling today. Sleep and breakfast beat last-minute cramming. Put Nov. 2 on the fridge for TN Promise — three weeks goes fast when homecoming is this loud.

👉 Read more (TN Promise overview)

🌤️ Sunny Near 89°F Today — Cooler and Breezy Friday Night

The National Weather Service point forecast for Dunlap (updated about 5:16 a.m. CDT Thursday) calls for sunny with a high near 89°F today and a clear low around 63°F tonight. Friday — homecoming day — looks increasing clouds with a high near 80°F, south winds shifting northwest with gusts as high as 25 mph, then a cooler Friday night near 45°F. Saturday looks mostly sunny near 61°F with a Saturday night low near 38°F.

What it means for you: Water bottle for Together Forever Thursday outdoors. Soccer tonight stays mild. Pack a warmer layer for Friday night under the lights — that cool-down will sneak up like a tractor coming over the hill. If power flickers, Sequachee Valley Electric’s outage line is 1-888-421-7832.

👉 Read more (NWS: Dunlap point forecast)

🚗 Neighbors Still on Fall Break — Sequatchie Is In Session

Marion County Schools and Hamilton County Schools both list fall break for Oct. 12–16. Sequatchie County is in class — so if your household bridges districts, don’t assume every cousin is off this week. Tomorrow is the last day of their break.

What it means for you: Extra traffic near Dunlap schools is normal while neighboring counties sleep in. Leave five minutes early Friday for parade traffic downtown, and watch for buses on the warm mornings.

👉 Read more (Hamilton County Schools: Fall Break)

✅ Your Thursday Fridge Checklist

• ✅ TODAY: Together Forever Thursday — match with a buddy; school rules still apply.
• ✅ Pin tomorrow: Go Indians Friday, parade morning (library weekly lists 9:30 a.m. — call ahead), football Community at 7 p.m.
• ✅ Lady Indians: CSAS tonight, Oct. 15, 7 p.m. (district tournament; confirm before you go). Sitting at 14-1-1 after Tuesday’s 9-0.
• ✅ Homecoming football: Indians are 2-1 in region play — a loud Friday night crowd helps.
• ✅ Board: met Monday at Griffith — minutes still not posted; next regular Nov. 2, working session Oct. 27.
• ✅ Lunch Week wraps Friday — say thanks to cafeteria staff.
• ✅ Seniors: ask counseling which free ACT Event 2 or 3 date you use; put TN Promise Nov. 2 on the calendar; FAFSA is already open.
• ✅ Kids in Marion or Hamilton County? They’re off through Oct. 16.
• ✅ Sunny near 89°F today — water bottle; warmer layer for Friday night (near 45°F with gusts).

Practical rule: Write tonight’s 7 p.m. soccer kickoff, tomorrow’s parade curb time, Friday’s 7 p.m. homecoming and the Nov. 2 TN Promise deadline on the fridge before supper, 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.
• Together Forever Thursday: Today’s dress theme — match with a sibling, friend or classmate within school dress rules.
• 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.
• Region standings: Win-loss record inside a TSSAA region; the top four of six usually advance to the football playoffs.
• ACT Senior Retake: A free, state-paid chance for public school seniors to take the ACT again during the school day.
• TN Promise: A last-dollar scholarship that can cover tuition and mandatory fees at a Tennessee community college or TCAT after other gift aid is applied.
• FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid — the form colleges use to figure need-based aid; the 2027–28 form opened Oct. 1, 2026.
• National School Lunch Week: A nationwide October celebration highlighting school meals; 2026’s theme is “Cafeteria Circus.”
• CSAS: Chattanooga School for the Arts & Sciences — tonight’s listed soccer opponent.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What should my child wear today?

Today is Together Forever Thursday. Matching outfits with a sibling, friend or classmate work. If you’re unsure, a simple twin spirit shirt beats anything that would get them sent to the office.

Is the Lady Indians soccer game tonight — and what’s the record?

Yes. MaxPreps lists CSAS at Sequatchie County on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 7:00 p.m. CDT in a district tournament match. The Lady Indians are 14-1-1 after a 9-0 win over Sale Creek on Tuesday. Confirm before you go.

What time is Friday’s homecoming parade and football game?

Football is Friday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. CDT in Dunlap against Community (homecoming / Go Indians Friday). The library’s weekly post lists the parade at 9:30 a.m.; an earlier line said about 9 a.m. — call the district at (423) 949-3617 or arrive early.

Did the school board minutes get posted yet?

Not as of Thursday morning. The board met Monday, Oct. 12, at Griffith Elementary. The agenda PDF is still on the district site; next regular meeting is Nov. 2, with a working session Oct. 27.

Do seniors still have free ACT windows this week?

Yes. Event 2 online windows run Oct. 13–16 and Oct. 19–23. Event 3 follows Oct. 27–30 and Nov. 2–6. Ask the SCHS counseling office which date your senior uses.

What is TN Promise, and when is it due?

TN Promise is a last-dollar scholarship for community college or a TCAT. The Class of 2027 application is due Nov. 2, 2026, through the THEC Student Portal. Students must also complete the FAFSA by April 1, 2027, attend a mandatory meeting and complete community-service hours. The 2027–28 FAFSA opened Oct. 1.

Are neighboring counties still on fall break?

Yes — Marion County and Hamilton County schools list fall break Oct. 12–16. Sequatchie County is in session. Friday is their last day off.

🔗 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: Lady Indians soccer (results & schedule)
• MaxPreps: CSAS at Sequatchie County, Oct. 15
• MaxPreps: Community at Sequatchie County, Oct. 16
• MaxPreps: Indians football schedule
• Sequatchie County Public Library (parade listing)
• ACT: Tennessee Senior Retake dates
• TN Promise overview (collegefortn.org)
• tnAchieves: high school seniors
• National School Lunch Week (School Nutrition Association)
• Dunlap-Tribune: cafeteria perfect scores
• NWS Dunlap point forecast
• Hamilton County Schools: Fall Break
• Marion County Schools calendar
• Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative: outage information

🏠 Keep Learning — Stay Calm

Homecoming Week is loud on purpose. Write tonight’s kickoff, tomorrow’s parade and the Nov. 2 Promise deadline on the fridge, match with a buddy for Together Forever Thursday, and leave the worry for folks who enjoy it.

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