Hamblen County Department of Education-OFFICIAL

09/28/2026

SPOOKTACULAR ATTENDANCE OCTOBER CHALLENGE! 🎃⁣
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Be here if you dare! Hamblen County Schools is hosting a special attendance challenge throughout the month of October to encourage students to be present every day.⁣
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𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬:⁣
𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘴: Our principals will secretly choose 4 random days during October.⁣
𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘞𝘪𝘯: If you are present on one of those secret days, you will receive a special treat or prize!⁣
𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘊𝘭𝘶𝘦: The last school day before Fall Break will be one of the secret days!⁣
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𝐃𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬:⁣
Be Here⁣
Stay Ready⁣
Don't Miss Out⁣
Make It Count⁣
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Good attendance is no trick... it's a treat🍬! You never know - will today be a prize day?⁣
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𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬:⁣
Ensure your student arrives on time and stays for the full school day every day this month to participate. ⁣
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We can't wait to see your student at school in October!⁣
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09/21/2026

A quick reminder… beginning today!

⚠️ School Zone Signage Change in Russellville ⚠️

Starting Monday, September 21, due to ongoing road construction, the school zone signs for Russellville Primary and Russellville Intermediate are transitioning to static signs WITHOUT flashing beacons.

🚨 Crucial Reminder: School zone laws remain in full effect during designated hours, whether a light is flashing or not.

Where: Russellville Primary & Russellville Intermediate zones
Speed Limit: 20 MPH
Hours: Monday–Friday | 7:10–8:00 AM & 2:50–3:30 PM

Please note that law enforcement will be actively present and monitoring traffic to enforce speed compliance during these hours.

🛑 Take extra care, watch your speed, and help us keep our students, staff, and families safe! Thank you for your cooperation.

09/17/2026

⚠️ School Zone Signage Change in Russellville ⚠️

Starting Monday, September 21, due to ongoing road construction, the school zone signs for Russellville Primary and Russellville Intermediate are transitioning to static signs WITHOUT flashing beacons.

🚨 Crucial Reminder: School zone laws remain in full effect during designated hours, whether a light is flashing or not.

Where: Russellville Primary & Russellville Intermediate zones
Speed Limit: 20 MPH
Hours: Monday–Friday | 7:10–8:00 AM & 2:50–3:30 PM

Please note that law enforcement will be actively present and monitoring traffic to enforce speed compliance during these hours.

🛑 Take extra care, watch your speed, and help us keep our students, staff, and families safe! Thank you for your cooperation.

09/14/2026

📲 Something big is coming to Hamblen County Schools!

Say goodbye to app fatigue and lost notifications. We are preparing to launch a brand-new, official Hamblen County Schools app (powered by Apptegy) designed to put everything you need, district news, events, cafeteria menus, and classroom communication, in one central place.

It’s everything Hamblen County Schools, right in your pocket.

👉 What you can do now: Double-check that your child(ren)'s school has your current email and mobile number on file so your account links seamlessly on launch day. Stay tuned for more information!

09/10/2026

🚌 HAPPY BUS DRIVER APPRECIATION DAY! 💛

Behind every successful school day in Hamblen County is a team of dedicated bus drivers who make it all possible.

As important members of our HCDOE team, our drivers serve as the bookends to our students' school days. They set the tone for a great school day with a warm "good morning" as kids step onto the bus, and wrap it up with a friendly, safe ride home every afternoon.

Entrusted with our community's most precious resource, these incredible men and women travel over 300,000 miles every year across neighborhood routes, field trips, sporting events, and campus transfers. Their tireless commitment to safety and reliability keeps our entire school district moving forward. Simply put, we could not function without them.

On behalf of the entire Hamblen County School District, thank you to all of our bus drivers for your dedicated service and for helping us Shape Hamblen County's Future One Student At A Time. You are truly amazing, and we appreciate everything you do!

09/09/2026

New and Exciting News for Hamblen County Schools!

Coming Soon... Our New App! It's everything Hamblen County Schools, in your pocket.

Keep an eye out during the month of September for more information.

08/31/2026

🎒 20 Days. One Challenge. Every Student. Every Day. 🏫✨

Hamblen County Schools is kicking off the September 20-Day Attendance Challenge starting tomorrow, September 1st! We’re challenging all of our students to make every single day count for the second 20 days of the school term. When students show up consistently, they build strong routines, stay engaged in the classroom, and connect with their school community. Every day in school is another opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed!

How Families Can Help at Home:
🌙 Set consistent bedtime and morning routines
🎒 Prep clothes and backpacks the night before
🚗 Have a backup plan for transportation
💬 Reach out to your child's school if challenges come up so we can support you!

What Students Can Expect:
Schools are adding to the fun with weekly milestones, group celebrations, and prize drawings all month long to recognize students who show up and prioritize attendance.

Calling All Community Members:
Local businesses, churches, and organizations, you can help too! Join us in encouraging our students and reinforcing the message that being at school matters. Let's work together to build strong attendance habits that last all year long. Let's make every day count!

08/14/2026

🚌 A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR FRIENDS AT HAMBLEN COUNTY EMS! 🚑❤️

We want to send a massive shoutout to our local EMS team for their incredible generosity during their 5th annual School Supply Drive!

Thanks to their hard work classrooms at West Elementary and Fairview-Marguerite Elementary were loaded up with stretchers full of school supplies!

To top it all off, the principals at each school had the honor of selecting one special student to receive an individually packed backpack, making the day extra memorable for those kids!

We are so grateful for our first responders. Not only do they keep us safe every day, but they also go above and beyond to make sure our students are set up for success!

Thank you, Hamblen County EMS, for loving and supporting our students!

08/13/2026

Wednesday, we officially broke ground on an extensive makeover project for John Hay Elementary!

This landmark project will feature modern, enclosed learning spaces, marking an important milestone as John Hay becomes the final open-concept school in our district to transition to fully enclosed classrooms. Additionally, new permanent classroom additions will allow us to transition students completely out of modular units into state-of-the-art learning environments.

To accommodate this major renovation, John Hay Elementary students and staff will spend the 2026–2027 school year learning together at the former Lincoln Heights Elementary School location.

During the groundbreaking ceremony, key leaders expressed immense gratitude:

Superintendent Mr. Arnie Bunch, School Board Chairman Mr. Johnny Denton, and Hamblen County Mayor Chris Cutshaw shared words of thanks to our County Commission and local community for their steadfast support of our schools and students.

Special thanks were extended to our project partners, Lewis Group Architects and Hale Construction, for their expertise and vision.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to the incredible students, teachers, and staff of John Hay Elementary for their patience, flexibility, and positive spirit as we make this smooth transition this school year!

Together, we are building a safer, more modern, and highly effective environment where our students can thrive for generations to come. Thank you for your continued partnership! 💙