The Annual First Day of School Education Celebration for DeKalb County will be held on Monday, August 7 starting at 6:00 p.m. downtown around the courthouse square.
The celebration is held on school registration day.
Michelle Burklow, Supervisor of Instruction for Pre-Kindergarten to 6th Grade, said the event is free and all parents and students are urged to attend to help kick off the new school year. “Our goal is to provide an evening of activities, education, and enjoyment for the residents of DeKalb County. We will be having information booths, passing out school supplies, refreshments, and various activities for the students to participate in while promoting education.”
“This will also provide a time for our teachers and parents to come together to build a foundation for new and positive relationships, right from day one,” said Burklow
“Our First Day of School Celebration is an opportunity for our schools to take a leadership role in re-enforcing and improving relationships among parents, teachers, students, and the community. This is the one day each year when it is both easiest and most important to enlist families as partners in our children’s education. This is a great time for us to engage our families and make them feel welcome into our schools.”
“So come out and join us. Everything is free that evening. We’ll have free school supplies, free food, snacks and lots of community people coming together to make this event possible”, said Burklow.
“There are many volunteers, churches, and organizations that come together to make this event possible for our children so they are able to start school with new supplies and a great positive attitude.”
If you would like to help with this event please call Michelle Burklow at 615- 597-4084. Volunteers are needed.
This celebration is totally free of charge to those who attend so make plans now to join the fun downtown Smithville on Monday, August 7 starting at 6:00 p.m.

DeKalb County Schools will re-open with registration for all students on Monday, August 7.
The first day of school education celebration (free school supplies) will be Monday, August 7 starting at 6:00 p.m. on the Smithville Public Square
The first full day of school for all students will be Wednesday, August 9.
Wednesday, August 2 will be a system-wide in-service.
All teachers will report to their individual schools on Thursday and Friday August 3 & 4
Teachers only will report for an administrative day on Tuesday, August 8.
The 2017-18 school calendar is as follows:
Students will not attend on Monday, Labor Day, September 4.
Schools will be closed for the fall break October 16-20 (one week)
The Thanksgiving break has traditionally been for three days, on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. This year, schools will be closed for an entire week for Thanksgiving, November 20-24. Those two extra days off for Thanksgiving will be made up at the end of the school year in 2017-18. The last day of school was originally set for Tuesday May 22, 2018 but has now been changed to Thursday, May 24, 2018.
The Christmas break will be December 21 through January 3.
Wednesday, December 20 will be the last day students attend before Christmas break and that will be an abbreviated school day. Wednesday, January 3, 2018 will be a stockpile day for teachers.
Students will return after the holidays on Thursday, January 4.
Schools will be closed for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 15 and for President’s Day, Monday, February 19.
Spring break will be March 26-30.
Students will not attend on Wednesday, May 23. That will be an administrative day and all teachers must attend. The last day of school will be Thursday, May 24 and report cards will be sent home.
Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Tuesday, October 24 and Tuesday, March 6 at DeKalb County High School from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Parent-Teacher Conferences will also be held from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Thursday, October 26 and Thursday, March 8 at DeKalb Middle School, Northside Elementary, Smithville Elementary, and DeKalb West School.
Report cards will be sent home from all schools on Tuesday, October 24; Tuesday, January 9; Tuesday March 6; and Thursday, May 24.

The Summer edition of Reeling in the Years will air Saturday (July 8 from 6-10 p.m. on WJLE.
“We’ll be playing many of the songs that many listeners will remember as teens and young adults,” former WJLE announcers and hosts Dennis Stanley and Shawn Jacobs said. “Our playlist will include the “Song of the Year” in 1968 and the Number One song the week of July 8, 1973. It’s those little details we usually incorporate into our show to make it even more enjoyable.”
Remember, it’s Reeling in the Years on WJLE Saturday (July 8) from 6 to 10 p.m.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District is offering free entry into participating day use areas Saturday, July 8 at Center Hill Lake, Cordell Hull Lake, Dale Hollow Lake, and J. Percy Priest Lake during “Life Jackets Saves and Pays Day.”
“Life Jackets Saves and Pays Day” is a local event held each year by USACE to emphasize the importance of wearing a life jacket when around water. During last year’s event more than 450 visitors brought their life jackets to 11 participating Nashville District day use areas. Presenting a life jacket, each visitor enjoyed a free one-day admittance to the area.
“This is a twofold event,” explained Park Ranger Ben MacIntyre at J. Percy Priest Lake. “It allows the public an opportunity for a free day at the lake, plus by having boaters show us their life jackets, they then have them out, inspected, and ready to use, as opposed to keeping the life jackets stored or hidden away.”
As always, USACE park hosts and park rangers encourage visitors to not stow their life jackets away, but instead keep them out, or better yet, wear them. Many boaters do not plan on swimming and statistics show that most drowning victims had no intention of being in the water, and were often within 10-30 feet of safety. Wearing a life jacket could make the difference between drowning or returning to shore and family.

DeKalb County has been selected to receive $8,117.00 to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the county.
The selection was made by a National Board that is chaired by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and consists of representatives from The Salvation Army; American Red Cross; United Jewish Communities; Catholic Charities, USA; National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA; and, United Way of America. The local board charged to distribute funds appropriated by Congress to help expand the capacity of food and shelter programs in high-need areas around the country.
A local board made up of community representatives will determine how the funds awarded to DeKalb County are to be distributed among the emergency food and shelter programs run by local service agencies in the area. The Local Board is responsible for recommending agencies to receive these funds and any additional funds available under this phase of the program.
Under the terms of the grant from the National Board, local agencies chosen to receive funds must: 1) be private voluntary non-profits or units of government, 2) have an accounting system, 3) practice nondiscrimination, 4) have demonstrated the capacity to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs, and 5) if they are a private voluntary organization, they must have a voluntary board. Qualifying agencies are urged to apply.
The EFS Local Board will meet in the lower courtroom of the DeKalb County Courthouse at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 13, 2017 to consider applications for funding. Applications must be delivered to the DeKalb County Senior Center in Smithville by 1:00 p.m. that day or may be brought to the meeting by a representative, who is welcome to present the application to the Local Board.
Further information about the program and an application may be obtained by contacting, Pam Redmon, DeKalb County Senior Center Director, located at 718 South Congress Blvd., Smithville, TN 37166 Phone: (615) 597-7575.

A Sparta man was seriously injured in a one car crash early Sunday morning on Highway 70 east near the Midnight Express.
Sergeant Eric McCormick of the Tennessee Highway Patrol told WJLE that 24 year old Jackie Sullivan was driving east in a 2013 Ford Focus when the vehicle went off the highway and into the woods.
Sullivan was taken by DeKalb EMS to Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital. He was to have been airlifted but weather conditions at the time prevented it.
Alcohol was involved and charges are pending.
The accident was investigated by Trooper Jason Cobble of the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

Former Nashville Mayor and Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Karl Dean will be in Smithville for a potluck dinner hosted by the DeKalb County Democratic Party on Thursday, July 27 at 6:00 p.m. at the high school.
Dean will speak at the event along with United States Senate candidate James Mackler and Holly McCall, the Recruitment Coordinator for Emerge Tennessee. Music for the evening will be provided by Jake Hoot.
“I decided to run for Governor of Tennessee because I think we need to bring economic opportunity to every Tennessean,” said Dean. “ Tennessee is a great state that is poised to continue moving forward if we focus on the right priorities. As Governor, I want to create opportunity for all Tennesseans, regardless of where they live, and that starts with education and jobs.”
“Having managed a city through the Great Recession and a historic flood, I learned that problem-solving doesn’t begin with one person. I also know there is no Democratic or Republican solution to problems. It begins with all of us working together and that’s the foundation on which we’re going to build this campaign,” Dean continued.
“A good job and a great education are not rural or urban issues, they are Tennessee issues. As governor, I will not rest until a good job, thriving business, and quality education are the standard in Tennessee”.
According to the Dean Campaign, “Karl Dean led the city of Nashville to unprecedented economic prosperity that it’s experiencing today. As Mayor for eight years, he led the city through the Great Recession and the devastating floods in 2010, with Nashville coming out stronger as a result. Karl’s pragmatic approach to leadership focused on jobs, education and public safety”.
“He kept taxes low while making significant investments in public infrastructure, paving the way for new economic development in all parts of Davidson County. He made business recruitment and retention a priority. He increased funding for public schools and teacher pay, invested in after school programs and brought more public school choices to Nashville. Karl’s experience makes him the right person to bring the same opportunities to every Tennessean,” according to the campaign.

The annual Fiddler’s Jamboree Craft Awards were presented Saturday
Phillip Howard of Sparta received the “Best of Show” award for his display of art work and furnishings crafted from repurposed tailgates, truck cabs, pallets, house doors, benches, etc.
The “Best Newcomer” Award went to Rachel Moore of Pleasantview for her display of repurposed old books. “I take the covers off and I re-bind them with new paper. You can use them as sketch books, journals or anything you wish. You are only limited by your imagination. I also make paper flowers. I take pages from books and make forever flower bouquets,” said Moore.
Roger Pfalzgraf of Staunton, Illinois received the “Best Display” award for his three string guitars made mainly from cigar boxes, bed pans, oil cans, and lunch boxes.
The awards were presented by Emma Adkins, the Fiddler’s Jamboree Director of Crafts along with Olivia Norton and Ellie Adkins.
(TOP PHOTO)
BEST OF SHOW: Phillip Howard of Sparta
PICTURED: Olivia Norton, Phillip Howard, and Emma and Ellie Adkins
(SECOND PHOTO FROM TOP)
BEST NEWCOMER AWARD went to Rachel Moore of Pleasantview
PICTURED: Olivia Norton, Rachel Moore, and Emma and Ellie Adkins
(BOTTOM PHOTO)
BEST DISPLAY: Roger Pfalzgraf of Staunton, Illinois
PICTURED: Ellie and Emma Adkins, Roger Pfalzgraf, and Olivia Norton