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Any parents/legal guardians who intend to conduct an Independent Home School, grades K-12, during the 2022-2023 school year must provide annual notice to their local public-school Director’s office each new school year.  This requirement also applies to previous Independent Home School parents.

More information can be found online at the Cannon County Schools page (http://www.ccstn.net/ under the homeschool department tab) or the Tennessee State Department of Education Home School page (http://www.tn.gov/education/schools/homeschool.shtml).

Any parent/legal guardian wishing to conduct an Independent Home School for grades K-12 must provide

1) proof of legal custody or guardianship by a copy of child’s birth certificate or court order, and

2) copy of a high school diploma GED or GED, or HiSET, and

3) the student’s immunization record.

If you have any questions regarding home schools, please call 629-201-4815 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) is announcing new actions to support child care providers and parents. On July 1, 2022, TDHS increased child care payment assistance reimbursement rates by 20% across all categories of care in the Child Care Certificate Program. Beginning August 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022, TDHS also will waive co-pay costs for families currently participating in the State’s child care payment assistance programs. The Department initiated these changes in direct response to rising costs faced by families and child care providers.

“Our Child Care Services team works hard to maintain an understanding of the needs of child care providers and families, and recognized parents and providers feel the impact of the current economy,” said Clarence H. Carter, TDHS Commissioner. “It is important that we do our part to help ensure Tennessee families have sustainable access to affordable care for their children so they can work and pursue education. It’s equally important that providers have the resources they need to provide safe, quality care.”

Under the Child Care Certificate program, the state pays a reimbursement rate directly to child care providers on behalf of families who are enrolled and meet the income and work or education requirements of the program. This increase to the reimbursement rate will save participating families money by reducing the portion they have to pay to cover tuition expenses.

In addition to the increased reimbursement rate, from August 1 – December 31, 2022 the state will waive the co-pay fees paid by parents participating in the Child Care Certificate Program. This means providers will be paid at the full established State Reimbursement Rate. Parents are encouraged to reach out to their child care provider to understand how these changes impact them, as well as any potential cost difference payment responsibility.

These investments are the latest in a series of moves to support and expand access to child care in Tennessee that is safe, healthy, and educationally rich. In recent years TDHS has offered Enhancement and Stabilization grants, established a WAGE$ program to raise salaries, and is taking action to modernize child care licensing

Farm Fun Days are coming to the Tennessee Agricultural Museum on July 9 and July 16, 2022. The entire family will enjoy these family-friendly events offered by the museum at no charge

“This year’s Farm Fun Days have the biggest lineup to date,” Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. said. “The museum’s summer events offer hands-on activities and showcase local vendors of all types. Both Saturdays offer great family activities featuring local musicians, local products, and local craftsmen.

The Agricultural Museum events offer a variety of ag-related experiences, including crafts for the kids, nature activities, petting zoo, and historical demonstrations.

In addition to various associations and societies, Cul2vate Farm, Farm Bureau’s AgSimulator, Metro Nashville Police Department’s Horse Mounted Patrol Unit, TWRA’s Wildlife on Wheels, the historical Sam Davis Home, the Tennessee State Museum, and the Nashville Public Library’s Puppet Truck are scheduled to participate in Farm Fun Days. Visitors may also purchase a variety of Tennessee-made foods and crafts.

There will be numerous farm animals at Farm Fun Days. Visitors with pets should keep them leashed and away from farm animals. No pets will be allowed inside the museum.

The Tennessee Agricultural Museum is located at 404 Hogan Road in Nashville. Admittance and parking are free.

Find out more about the Tennessee Agricultural Museum at www.tn.gov/agmuseum and follow @TNAgMu on Facebook and @tennessee.agricultural.museum on Instagram.

The Tennessee Department of Education has released the 2021-22 Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) district-level results, following the release of the statewide results on June 14, which are driving the state’s continued focus on student academic achievement and acceleration through strategic initiatives and investments. These results include both Fall 2021 end-of-course exams as well as Spring 2022 exams in English language arts (ELA), mathematics, science, and social studies. 

To ensure districts can best support their students, district-level results are essential to providing a snapshot into each of Tennessee’s school communities to highlight needed supports and investments to continue driving student acceleration and achievement.

“Tennessee’s 2021-22 district-level TCAP results demonstrate the incredible efforts made by districts, educators, and students to demonstrate strong academic growth over the past school year,”said Commissioner Penny Schwinn.“Using this data to signify the collective focus on strategic initiatives and investments across the state, we must continue accelerating academic achievement in public education to provide the best for all students in Tennessee for years to come.”

Access an overview presentation about the 2021-22 TCAP district-level results here.

In the overview presentation, district proficiency rates in early grades, specifically 4th grade English language arts (ELA) and 7th grade math, are highlighted per district since learning on grade level for these foundational years is essential for student success. Specifically, 4th grade ELA will be reported in the upcoming Nation’s Report Card (NAEP) release this fall and is important for placing Tennessee’s results in context nationally. In another subject, 7th grade math is foundational to Algebra and mathematical reasoning. Additional information in the district spotlight slides includes overall participation rate, proficiency percentages, trend data over time, and more.

A downloadable spreadsheet of district proficiency rates across student groups is available here. Additional statewide context for these results is available in this 1-pager and explainer video.

State-level results from the 2021-22 TCAP demonstrate gains with ELA performance largely returning to pre-pandemic levels. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tennessee maintained its commitment to an annual statewide assessment to provide reliable data on how students are performing. This year, that commitment from schools and families continued, with the statewide TCAP student participation rate increasing from 95% last year to 98% in the 2021-22 school year. This data reflects the hard work of Tennessee educators in their efforts to accelerate learning.

State ELA proficiency rates now exceed pre-pandemic levels. Since the pandemic, 72.6 percent of districts now meet or exceeded pre-pandemic performance in ELA. Math proficiency rates rose uniformly and substantially across the state in the past year with 91.8 percent of districts improving. 

Tennessee’s school districts are the best sources of information for characterization of local results because they know their communities best. Today’s release is an opportunity for each school and district community to review their students’ progress after the local implementation of programs, initiatives, and targeted supports that have benefited student academic achievement.

“We are greatly encouraged to see our 2022 TCAP results show very positive gains which is proof that our Teachers and Staff Personnel are making a difference to address learning loss of the past year,” said William Freddy Curtis, Director of Schools, Cannon County Schools. “These results demonstrate our District’s VISION – ‘To Actively Engage in Excellence EVERY Day in EVERY Way!’ through our MISSION – ‘To Create a Unified Environment That Will Provide Opportunities for ALL Students to Succeed and Reach Their Full Potential.’  This further shows specifically that our students are moving forward to bridge these gaps.”

These district-level results provide assessment data for students across the state and by district, not including accountability data. Assessment is about measuring and reporting on the performance of students; accountability, which includes more data points, is about reporting on the performance of school systems and includes assessment data among many other measures.

To help Tennessee families and students understand their TCAP results, the department’s free, online resource, the TCAP Family Portal, provides access to past years’ test results and additional information and will be updated later this summer.

TCAP includes summative assessments for English language arts, math, science, and social studies for grades 3-8, high school end-of-course (EOC) exams in English I and II, Algebra I and II, Geometry, Integrated Math I, II, and III; Biology, and U.S. History. 

To learn more about the state’s assessment program, visit the department’s State Assessment webpage. To learn more about the accountability model visit the department’s Accountability webpage. District- and state-level spring 2021-22 TCAP assessment data files are accessible to download on the department’s Data Downloads webpage.

Hello, my name is John House and I have lived in the Mooretown Community since 1991. I have been married to Rena Peeler-House for 28 years and we have 4 children Jonathan, Elizabeth, Emily and Elana. Rena is the daughter of G.L. and Kay Peeler. We attend the Sugar Tree Knob Church of Christ.

I have been actively involved in the community with 4-H, fundraisers for several county school BETA Clubs. I am a member of the Woodbury Lions Club. Previously, I was the president of the local Fraternal Order of Police Cannon Lodge 88. I have a vested interest in our community in which I live since this is where I chose to set roots and raise my family. I also own and operate two small businesses in the county; The Dog House and Big John’s Mowing.

I have been in law enforcement for 37 years. I started my career with the Tennessee Department of Corrections in 1985 and worked until 1997. While working at the prison, I supervised approximately 36 employees and worked in almost every position.

I have been employed with the Woodbury Police Department for 26 years. Currently I am a Sergeant with the department. While employed I have worked in patrol, Narcotics K-9, DARE Officer, School Resource Officer, Departmental Training Officer, Field Training Officer, Firearms Instructor and the General Departmental Instructor. I am also with the Tennessee Dangerous Drugs Task Force.

There are several reasons I am running for sheriff of Cannon County.

1. We need to get the jail certified. The jail has not been certified since at least 2013. Some of the problems were overcrowding, staffing, square footage per inmate to name a few. As sheriff, I will work with the Tennessee Corrections Institute and will start a County Corrections Partnership Initiative. This voluntary initiative will help create a path to certification for the jail.
2. We need to address the problem of deputy and correctional staff turnover. In the last election the current sheriff stated staff turnover was due to low wages. The current sheriff has gotten the starting salary with included benefits to around $45, 000 a year, but is still having a high turnover rate. It seems like the reason for the turnover rate is not money, but leadership and moral.
3. The law needs to be enforced and be applied impartially to all.
4. The sheriff needs to have a good working relationship with the county commissioners and other law enforcement agencies.
5. There needs to be transparency and accountability at the sheriff’s department.
6. There needs to be services available such as GED classes, parenting classes, drug and alcohol counseling, some type of job training etc.…

I believe the sheriff’s responsibility is to enforce laws, protect life and property, and oversee the administration of county tax dollars and personnel. I believe that jail needs to be jail. I believe all inmates should be treated humanely and fairly. I believe that able body inmates who are sentenced should work to receive good time. The job of the correctional officer is custody and control.

If elected as your new sheriff, I will do everything within my power to make sure your sheriff’s department is one for every citizen to be proud of. I will be tough on crime and those who commit the crime. There will be an open door policy for staff and citizens to address any issues or concerns.

I, John House am formally announcing my candidacy for the office of Cannon County Sheriff. I will not be able to meet everyone in the county during this election, but I am asking and would appreciate your vote and support in the upcoming General Election on August 4^th, 2022.

Gas prices across Tennessee are continuing to inch lower as this week marks the third straight week of declines in the state. Gas prices fell nearly nine cents over the course of last week, providing a much needed break at the pump for the Tennesseans that took a road trip over the holiday weekend. The Tennessee Gas Price average is now $4.41 which is nearly eight cents less expensive than one month ago and $1.53 more than one year ago.  

“Even though gas prices were at record highs for the Independence Day holiday, Tennessee travelers were able to reap the benefits of a three-week decline in gas prices heading into the holiday weekend, “said Megan Cooper, spokeswoman for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “It’s difficult to say how long this trend will continue with an expected busy summer travel season happening alongside a very volatile crude oil market – but at least for now, Tennesseans can enjoy a bit of good news at their local gas pump.”

Quick Facts

• 76% of Tennessee gas stations have prices below $4.50 
• The lowest 10% of pump prices are $4.09 for regular unleaded 
• The highest 10% of pump prices are $4.77 for regular unleaded
• Tennessee is the 8th least expensive market in the nation

Today’s national average of $4.80 is four cents less than a month ago and $1.67 more than a year ago.

Drivers can find current gas prices along their route with the free AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad, and Android. The app can also map a route, find discounts, book a hotel, and access AAA roadside assistance. Learn more at AAA.com/mobile.

Tennessee Regional Prices 

• Most expensive metro markets – Memphis ($4.51), Knoxville ($4.51), Jackson ($4.50) 
• Least expensive metro markets – Cleveland ($4.18), Chattanooga $4.29), Clarksville $4.33)

The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) has completed the testing phase of Jobs4TN.gov and determined the system is operational and ready to resume service.

The state’s vendor, Geographic Solutions, Inc. (GSI), completed the restoration of the state’s unemployment and workforce development computer system on Sunday, July 3. GSI experienced what it has called anomalous activity at its network operation centers on Sunday, June 26, 2022. The anomalous activity forced the company to take Jobs4TN.gov, and systems for approximately three dozen other states, offline.
 
Both the unemployment and workforce development functions of Jobs4TN.gov are once again operating.
 
Individuals who need to file a new unemployment claim, or complete weekly certifications, should follow the instructions below.

• FILE A NEW CLAIM
  • You can file your claim now.
  • Even though you could not apply between June 25 and July 2, that will still be the claim’s effective date if you meet eligibility requirements.
  • Please complete the filing process by July 8, at 4:30 p.m. CDT, so staff can review your claim and set the correct effective date.
  • After you file your claim and staff complete an initial review, you will receive an email with instructions explaining when to start your weekly certifications.
  • Please note, that staff will need to review your application to determine the eligibility of your claim and that will take multiple weeks to complete.
• COMPLETING WEEKLY CERTIFICATIONS
  • If you were able to complete weekly certifications before the system outage, you can now restart that process.  
  • Because you could not certify for the week ending June 25, you now need to complete certifications for that week and the week ending July 2.
  • The system will prompt you to complete this process for both weeks.
  • Please remember, that Monday, July 4, is a bank holiday, so payments will be delayed by a day.

TDLWD understands and apologizes for the confusion and hardship this extended system outage caused Tennesseans who depend on Jobs4TN.gov for the critical services it provides.

Road construction won’t slow motorists across Tennessee over the July 4 holiday.  The Tennessee Department of Transportation will suspend all construction-related lane closures on interstates and state routes beginning at 6:00 a.m. on Friday, July 1 through 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 5 to provide maximum roadway capacity for holiday travelers.

AAA predicts record travel in Tennessee this year, with over one million Tennesseans taking a trip and 92% of them driving.

“With so many people hitting the road we want to do all we can to ensure they reach their destinations safely and without necessary delays,” said TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley. “We are doing so by suspending lane closures during this busy holiday travel time.”

Motorists will still encounter some long-term lane closures on construction projects.  While lane closure activity will be stopped, workers may be on-site in zones, and reduced speed limits in work zones will still be in effect.  Drivers convicted of speeding through work zones where workers are present face a fine of $250 to $500, plus court fees and possible increased insurance premiums.

From your desktop or mobile device, get the latest construction activity and live streaming SmartWay traffic cameras at www.TNSmartWay.com/Traffic. Travelers can also dial 511 from any landline or cellular phone for travel information or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TN511 for statewide travel.  As always, drivers are reminded to use all motorist information tools wisely and Know Before You Go! by checking travel conditions before leaving for your destination.  Drivers should never tweet, text, or talk on a cell phone while behind the wheel.

Since Sunday, June 25, the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) has been working with Geographic Solution, Inc. (GSI), the vendor that operates Jobs4TN.gov, to navigate a system outage at the company’s network operations center that took Jobs4TN.gov offline.   TDLWD notified unemployment claimants, and stakeholders, Sunday when it became apparent the system outage could last for an extended time. The Department has provided the latest information available since that then.   TDLWD continues to work with GSI to ensure Jobs4TN.gov is back online as soon as possible so it can once again deliver critical services to Tennesseans.   The president of GSI issued a statement Wednesday evening regarding Tennessee’s system outage.      Statement from Geographic Solutions, Inc. Paul Toomey, President Wednesday, June 29, 2022 5:33 p.m. CDT.   “We recently identified anomalous activity on our network, and immediately took the Jobs4TN system offline to halt the activity. With the help of third-party specialists, we are conducting a full investigation to determine the cause and scope of the incident. That investigation is still ongoing, and we are taking steps to help prevent this from happening again.  Our current focus is working around the clock to bring Jobs4TN back online.  We anticipate that this will occur prior to the July 4th holiday.“    The latest information from GSI indicates no personal data was accessed, and no data was removed from its network operations center.   While these are the initial findings of GSI’s investigation, the company continues to evaluate this matter and will notify TDLWD of any new developments.   TDLWD will release additional information regarding the service outage when it is available.

The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) is providing extra support to thousands of families who receive monthly cash assistance through the state’s Families First program. Households with an active, ongoing case in the Families First Program as of May 31, 2022,  will receive a one-time payment of $450 on their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards. This one-time payment will be available July 1, 2022.

The payment will provide extra support to Families First participants as they begin to prepare for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year. The 2020 Families First Case Characteristics Study indicated nearly three quarters of Families First children are 5 years of age or older, accounting for a  significant portion of the Families First caseload.

“More than 13,000 Tennessee families will receive this assistance in a time where they likely need it most,” said TDHS Commissioner Clarence H. Carter. “With the start of school just around the corner, our hope is that families can have an easier time purchasing the things their children need, leaving them feeling confident and ready for the school year.”

This additional Families First payment is funded through the federal Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund (PEAF). Tennessee qualified for more than $12 million in PEAF dollars. This payment is the second and last investment TDHS is making with those dollars. The first PEAF investment was made in December 2021, when child-only Families First households received an additional deposit ahead of the holiday season.

Families First is Tennessee’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. TANF is a federally funded program that emphasizes work, family strengthening, and personal responsibility to empower families for long-term success. The program helps participants reach this goal by providing temporary cash assistance, transportation, child care assistance, educational support, job training, and other support services.