News

Mark your calendars. For 2020 only, the Tennessee General Assembly has approved two sales tax holiday weekends to help Tennesseans save money and support the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first tax-free holiday weekend focuses on clothing and other back-to-school items. It begins at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 31, and ends Sunday, August 2, at 11:59 p.m. During this time, consumers may purchase clothing, school supplies, and computers and other qualifying electronic devices without paying sales tax. Certain price restrictions apply. For school supplies and clothing, the threshold for qualifying items is $200 or less. For computers and other electronics, the price threshold is $3,000 or less. Download our list of tax-exempt items here.

Exempt items sold online are also eligible. Consumers must purchase items for personal use, not business or trade.

The second sales tax holiday weekend focuses on restaurant sales. It begins at 12:01 a.m. on August 7 and ends Sunday, August 9, at 11:59 p.m. During this time the retail sale of food and drink by restaurants and limited service restaurants, as defined in Tenn. Code Ann.  § 57-4-102, is exempt from sales tax.     

“The COVID-19 pandemic has caused immense economic strain on Tennessee families. These sales tax holidays will allow them to keep more of their hard-earned money and support Tennessee businesses,” said Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. 

“We want to remind everyone about these opportunities for tax relief,” Revenue Commissioner David Gerregano said.  “It’s a good opportunity to save money during these difficult times.”

For more information about the sales tax holiday weekends, visit www.tntaxholiday.com. You can also read our frequently asked questions, as well as this important notice.

The Department of Revenue is responsible for the administration of state tax laws and motor vehicle title and registration laws, as well as the collection of taxes and fees associated with those laws. The Department collects around 87 percent of total state revenue. During the 2019 fiscal year, it collected $15.3 billion in state taxes and fees and more than $3 billion in taxes and fees for local governments. To learn more about the Department, visit www.tn.gov/revenue.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced today the State of Tennessee’s recommendations to reopen schools for the 2020-2021 school year.

“Providing parents a choice in their children’s education is incredibly important,” said Gov. Lee. “In-person learning is the medically sound, preferred option. Our state is doing everything we can to work with local school districts and ensure that in-person learning is made available in a way that protects the health and safety of our students and educators, and this plan helps us accomplish that goal.”

“Leading health organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Academy of Pediatrics, and National Academies of Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering, have all stressed the importance of in-person learning for students,” said Tennessee Commissioner of Health Dr. Lisa Piercey. “The Department of Health has worked with Department of Education to establish a protocol to keep school buildings open safely and cause minimal disruption when positive cases occur.”

“Tennessee is prioritizing health and safety of our school communities,” said Tennessee Commissioner of Education Penny Schwinn. “Ensuring schools, teachers, families, and students have the critical resources and supports they need to start the new school year strong is paramount, and I am thankful to Governor Lee for continuing to support education in Tennessee as schools reopen across the state.”

The recommendations from the Department of Health and the Department of Education are below:

Health

When to Test & Quarantine

10-Day Sick Window

Anyone testing positive for COVID-19 must isolate themselves at home for 10 days from the onset of their symptoms or 10 days from the date their test was done if they never developed symptoms. Fever must be gone and they must be feeling better for at least 24 hours.

14-Day Quarantine

Anyone who has been within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for 10 minutes or more must quarantine themselves at home for 14 days from the last time they were with that person. These time periods do not change with a doctor’s note or with a negative test. 

Contact Tracing

Keeping schools open for in-person instruction depends upon our ability to quickly isolate people who are sick and quarantine their close contacts. 

If a child is ill, parents should not send them to school where they could infect others. If a child is diagnosed with COVID-19, parents are asked to assist the Department of Health by contacting the child’s close contacts so those individuals can quarantine at home.

If a parent is notified that their child has been in close contact of someone with COVID-19, please follow the guidelines and quarantine them at home for 14 days.

Texting Platform

Schools may be able to assist with notifying families of the need to quarantine through text messaging services. If parents receive a message from their child’s school informing you that your child needs to stay at home for 14 days, please follow those instructions.

Immunizations

School entry immunizations have not changed. Even if students are learning online, they still need the required immunizations to register for school. COVID-19 has had a significant impact on immunization rates: 43 percent fewer immunizations were reported during April 2020 compared to April 2019.

It is critical that children receive regular check-ups and have their immunizations up to date. Immunizations mitigate outbreaks of preventable diseases, such as the measles and whooping cough.

COVID-19 Impact on Vaccinations 0-19 years old

Supporting Child Wellbeing

In response to the pandemic’s long-term effects on Tennessee’s school districts and students, Gov. Lee charged Commissioner Schwinn with convening the 38-member COVID-19 Child Wellbeing Task Force. The findings of the taskforce’s Initial COVID-19 Impact Summary include:

• Reports of suspected child abuse dropped by 27% during peak stay-at-home orders in Tennessee;
• 75 percent of students nationally receive mental health care in a school setting;
• In 2019, approx. 45,000 school-aged children were served for mental health through the community-based system;
• Approximately half of districts were able to address or check on wellness and safety of students during spring closures;
• Nearly 14 million students across the country go hungry when school is not in session, so resumption of in-person learning is critical to ensure access to nutrition.

Academics

Empowering Parents

Whether it be in-person or virtual, we want parents to have a choice in their child’s education. For those who choose the virtual option, the State will provide free resources to supplement their district’s school-based services. The resources include:

• Early Literacy Resource: A free resource for students pre-K through 2^nd grade to build foundational skills and support early literacy;
• PBS Learning Series: Complete lessons for  1^st– 9^th grade students in both math and ELA taught by Tennessee teachers;
• STE(A)M Resource Hub: Three challenges per week to spark creative thinking, design, and career exploration from the home;
• Start of the Year Checkpoint: A free and optional assessment to measure student performance at the beginning of the year and help inform educators about student readiness for the year ahead;

Advocating for Students

Technology and Continuity of Operations

Devices and connectivity will be critical resources to ensure quality remote learning this school year. The $50 million grant initiative to support district technology purchases is now available and is intended to increase student access to one-to-one instructional devices such as laptops or tablets.

The Department of Education is supporting districts, schools and teachers through additional WiFi and technology supports, including 250,000 devices.

Meal Supports & Food Accessibility

The school meal finder will continue to be provided to ensure parents know where to go for school meal programs should a school building be closed.

Financial assistance is available for families who qualify for free or reduced school lunches, through the Department of Human Services’ Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program.

Supporting Teachers

Safety Equipment for Teachers

The State is providing no-cost PPE, including face masks for any school stakeholder who wants or needs one, thermometers for every school, and face shields for every staff member. This includes 298,000 cloth reusable masks for teachers, and 27 million disposable masks for students distributed by the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency.

Every classroom teacher will have a full-year classroom disinfecting kit to use so no teacher pays for these materials out of their own pockets. The kits include hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, gloves and masks.

School nurses will be provided with surgical masks, gloves, protective gowns, and face shields.

Professional Development Resources

The Department of Education will offer free professional development classes on remote teaching that will cover relationship-building, using instructional materials, and system set-up. These resources have extended through August 31^st.

Principals and assistant principals will have access to remote education professional development through UT-Knoxville, and teachers have access through Trevecca Nazarene University.

The Department also announced the Special Education Additional Endorsement Grant, which will enable every public school district to provide at least one teacher with a special education endorsement (SPED) for free. Eight SPED Additional Endorsement Grants, totaling $1 million, have been awarded to Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) to deliver courses in a virtual environment.

Assisting Districts

Decision-Making Protocol

The Department of Education will provide district leaders with a decision-tree that includes recommendations on how to keep school buildings open safely when a case or cases are confirmed among students or staff, developed in collaboration with the Department of Health and School & District Action Teams.

Recruiting Additional Personnel

A job board for educators and substitute teachers has been created so districts can use remote resources to ensure they are staffed for the start of the year and can fill vacancies more quickly. More than 1,000 educators have already utilized the job board, showing the strong teaching workforce present in Tennessee.

Funding

Ensuring districts have the resources they need to implement remote learning with fidelity is paramount. The $11 million grant program to bolster programmatic supports and implementation will be released to districts soon.

The Department of Education is establishing a criteria list for potential district partners to ensure supports are well-versed in the academic programming needs to successfully implement district Continuous Learning Plans (CLPs).

As districts finalize their CLPs and build team capacity to effectively implement them, this grant program will provide funding for supports such as:

• Training educators on effective instructional practices in virtual classroom environments;
• Integrating the use of high-quality instructional materials in virtual instruction;
• Supporting operational aspects of virtual instruction, including IT support for students, families, and staff.

Tennessee will continue to ensure parents, teachers, and school leaders are equipped with the appropriate information to provide a high-quality education for all students.

Contact Sports

Gov. Lee will issue Executive Order No. 55 to allow for contact sports to resume, provided they follow the requirements of TSSAA. Non-TSSAA schools must follow equivalent guidelines, and non-school-sponsored athletics should follow the Tennessee Pledge guidelines. An update to the Pledge guidelines will be forthcoming.

Citizens have contacted the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) indicating they’ve received seeds in the mail that they did not order. The seeds appear to have been shipped from China, and in some cases, the envelopes are labeled jewelry or beads.

“While we have no reason at this time to suspect that these seeds were sent with ill intention, we want to take every precaution to be sure an invasive or otherwise threatening plant species doesn’t take hold here,” Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. said.

Imported plant materials go through rigorous testing and inspection to ensure they are not carrying any plant disease or pests and do not pose any threat to health and environment. So far, no evidence has been found to indicate these unsolicited seeds have gone through appropriate inspection, or if they are even the type of seed they are labeled to be.

If citizens receive seeds they did not order, they should not handle or plant the seeds. Instead, seal the bag of seeds into two plastic bags and send all packaging to TDA. If the seeds have already been planted, TDA recommends digging up the seeds or sprouted plants. They should be double-bagged and placed in the trash. It is not advisable to compost the seeds or sprouted plants.

Our partners at USDA believe the seeds may be a “brushing scam” where people receive unsolicited items from a seller who then posts false customer reviews to boost sales.

Persons can send unsolicited seed packages to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, attention Plant Certification. The original envelope as well as any paperwork or enclosures and the bag of seeds should be included along with the recipient’s name, contact information and full address.

Mail to P.O. Box 40627, Nashville, TN  37204, or send via UPS or FedEx to 436 Hogan Road, Nashville, TN  37220

If a person prefers not to send in their seeds, notify TDA that the unsolicited seeds were received. Call Plant Certification at 615-837-5137 or email Plant Certification Administrator Anni Self at anni.self@tn.gov. Provide your name, contact information, and where you live, as well as what you received and any photos. Seeds should be double-bagged and sealed, and placed in the trash for disposal.

TDA continues to monitor this situation and are working closely with our federal partners and partners in other states. We will provide the latest information on our social media channels. Follow @TNAgriculture on Facebook and Twitter for updates.

In a press conference today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced that he will soon sign Executive Order No. 55, which will include TSSAA member schools in an exception to contact sports restrictions.

“We appreciate being able to work with Gov. Lee and his staff on this,” said Bernard Childress, Executive Director of the TSSAA. “I am pleased that we were able to develop some very specific guidelines for every sport that will allow our kids to get out on their fields and fully participate in football and girls’ soccer this fall.”

Although contact practice is now permissible, the regulations and requirements for practice and competition adopted by the Board of Control at their July 22 meeting are still in place for all sports and must be followed. Visit the Tennessee Returns to Play page of TSSAA.org for complete details.

“Children across the state are counting on us–school administrators and coaches–to proceed with practices and competitions safely while being very mindful of the requirements and modifications that we have put in place,” Childress added. “Our return to play is a partnership, and it’s important for everyone to do their part.”

Once the order is signed, contact may take place in girls’ soccer practice. The Date of First Contest remains as originally scheduled, Aug. 17, with the state championships to be held Oct. 28-31 in Murfreesboro.

Football teams were allowed to begin heat acclimatization on July 20th. Each athlete must complete heat acclimatization (2 days of helmets only, 3 days in helmets and shoulder pads) before practicing in full equipment, which is now permitted.

No changes to the 2020 football schedule, regular season or otherwise, will be made. The contingency plan for football passed by the Board of Control last week stated that if contact practice could resume prior to Aug. 4, then no contests would be rescheduled. Therefore, the Date of First Contest for football remains as Aug. 21 with state championships Dec. 3-5 in Cookeville.

“This is good news for many kids and their families,” Childress added, “but the reality is that the virus will continue to be with us and we have to be smart about taming the spread. Every adult and every participant in every sport must do their part and follow the guidelines set forth by TSSAA and the Governor’s office to help mitigate these risks.”

The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) has received approval from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service to temporarily waive one step in the process for individuals receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) benefits.

During the months of July and August, new customers filing initial applications and existing recipients filing recertifications no longer need to do an interview if their identity has been verified and all other mandatory verifications have been completed. This waiver includes customers who have interviews scheduled.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, these interviews have largely been done by telephone unless the customer requests an interview in-person. The temporary interview waiver follows other steps TDHS has taken during the COVID-19 pandemic to make it more convenient for families to apply for services from home.

These TDHS services are always available online:

·         The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides nutritional assistance benefits to children and families, the elderly, the disabled, unemployed and working families. Apply for services online here.

·         Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) provides temporary cash assistance, transportation, child care assistance, educational supports, job training, employment activities, and other support services. Apply for services online here.

·         The Child Support program provides services that promote parental responsibility to meet the financial needs of children and their families. Apply for services online here. Payments can be made online here.

·         Adult Protective Services investigates reports of abuse, neglect (including self-neglect) or financial exploitation of adults who are unable to protect themselves due to a physical or mental limitation. Call toll free 1-888-APS-TENN (1-888-277-8366) or report suspected abuse online here.

·         The Child Care Certificate Program provides child care financial assistance to families who are working or pursuing post-secondary education and who meet certain income eligibility requirements. Apply for Child Care Payment Assistance/Smart Steps online here.

Additionally, TDHS is offering assistance related to COVID-19 that can be accessed online including:

·         Emergency Cash Assistance provides two months of payments to families who’ve lost employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Apply online until August 29 here.

·         The COVID-19 Essential Employee Child Care Payment Assistance program supports the child care needs of families that are serving the state in essential workforce positions. Apply online through mid-August here.

·         Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) provides food benefits to families to replace meals lost during the months of March, April, and May due to COVID-19 school closures. Apply online until August 14 here. Families can also download applications in Spanish, Somali, and Arabic languages to fill out and email to P-EBT.DHS@tn.gov.

Learn more about the Tennessee Department of Human Services at www.tn.gov/humanservices.

Cannon County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition will hold its August online Building Community Resources Series presentation on Tuesday, August 4^th at 6 pm. Due to the increased overdoses we are experiencing in our community related to Covid-19, this will be a free Narcan Training class specifically for Cannon County. Narcan is an approved opioid overdose reversal drug that, when used, has no negative side effects.  Length of presentation is about 45 minutes. It will be presented by Michael Bare, Regional Overdose Prevention Specialist, of the TN Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. Participants will receive a certificate and a free Opioid Overdose Reversal Kit.

To find how to register, go to our Facebook page www.facebook/cannoncoalition/. Don’t miss this free opportunity to learn to save someone’s life. All of the monthly Building Community Resources Series events are free of charge and open to everyone.

Two additional Tennessee counties have been quarantined for Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) after the beetle was detected earlier this month.

Hickman and Dickson Counties join Cannon and 62 other counties under a state and federal EAB quarantine. The quarantine prohibits the movement of firewood, ash nursery stock, ash timber, and other material that can spread EAB. The tree-killing beetle was recently intercepted through the United States Department of Agriculture’s EAB detection program.

“Firewood is especially troublesome to spreading EAB,” State Forester David Arnold said. “We ask that people don’t move firewood since EAB larvae can survive hidden in the bark. Outdoor enthusiasts hauling firewood unknowingly give the pest a free ride to establish new infestations at their destination.”

Signs of the beetle include a thin canopy or yellow foliage, small holes through the bark of the tree, or shoots growing from roots or a tree’s trunk.

Citizens are asked to report any symptomatic ash trees to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) and follow these guidelines:

• Don’t transport firewood, even within the state.
• Use firewood from local sources near where you’re going to burn it or purchase certified heat-treated firewood.
• If you have moved firewood, burn all of it before leaving your campsite.
• Watch for signs of infestation in your ash trees. If you suspect an EAB infestation, visit www.tn.gov/agriculture/businesses/plants/plant-pests–diseases-and-quarantines/ag-businesses-eab.html or call TDA’s Plant Certification Office at 615-837-5137.

TDA’s Division of Forestry estimates that 5 million urban ash trees in Tennessee worth a total of $2 billion are potentially at risk from EAB. There are an estimated 261 million ash trees on Tennessee timberland, with an estimated value of $9 billion.

For more information about EAB and other destructive forest pests in Tennessee, visit www.protecttnforests.org. Follow @ProtectTNForests on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates on the harmful impacts insects and diseases have on our trees, where pests are found, and what landowners can do to help protect their trees.

During a Special Called Meeting on Thursday evening, July 23^rd, 2020, the Cannon County Board of Education voted to approve the Cannon County Schools Reopening Plan 2020-2021.  This plan is developed to assist in the navigation of the reestablishing of reopening Cannon County Schools and was developed to aide Employees, Students, and Families to feel safe and to reduce the impact of COVID-19 upon returning to school.  The guidelines referenced in this document are based upon the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Tennessee Department of Health, and applicable federal, state, and local agencies.  Additionally, an online survey was conducted to ask Cannon County families and community members various questions regarding the reopening of Cannon County Schools in response to COVID-19.  The complete Cannon County Reopening Plan 2020-2021 can be accessed at the Cannon County Schools website – www.ccstn.net or click here. 

The “Continuous Learning Plan” was submitted to the Tennessee Department of Education after many hours of work by the Cannon County Schools Task Force and various Sub-committees. The Components of the Plan include Section 1 – Health and Safety, Section 2 – Attendance, Section 3 – Transportation, Section 4 – Academics, Section 5 – Technology and Section 6 – Communications.    The Cannon County School System formed a Reopening of Schools Committee consisting of sub-committees to develop protocols to ensure the safe reopening of schools.  This plan was developed in collaboration with local government entities, the Tennessee Department of Education, the Tennessee Department of Health, and private health care professionals.  Regular updates will be made to this plan based on information provided by the CDC, TN Department of Health, and applicable federal, state, and local agencies.

Section 1 – The Health and Safety Section of the Plan concerns the major Goal – “To provide a safe and supportive learning environment.” The Section contains general guidelines and considerations as our schools prepare for the return of students and staff in the safest manner possible. While no single action will eliminate the risk of transmission of the virus within a school or school district, implementation of several coordinated interventions may significantly reduce that risk.  The section gives guidance for Student and Staff Safety Measures, Visitors on Campus, School Protocols, Sanitation, Protocol for Sick Children and Staff, Symptoms that Occur after Arrival to School, Return of Students Sent Home, and Staff Health Protocol.  

Section 2 – Attendance contains procedures for hybrid and remote learning in relation to Cannon County Board of Education Policy 6.200.  Attendance is a key factor in student achievement, and therefore, students are expected to be present each day school is in session. Under Cannon County Schools Hybrid and Remote learning models, all students are expected to participate in both synchronous and asynchronous instruction at times assigned by the student’s teacher. Asynchronous instruction may include independent work, teacher-assigned individual or group projects, audio- or video-recorded lessons, or online class modules, or other appropriate methods as determined by the school and/or teacher.  Teachers will grade and provide feedback to students for both face to face instruction and remote learning opportunities. Teachers will enter grades into Skyward where families and students can log into for grades. Teachers will take attendance daily and provide individual feedback to students at least twice weekly though Google Classroom, phone conversations, emails, and/or virtual meetings. 

Section 3 – Transportation relates that Bus Drivers will be following COVID screening protocols prior to beginning routes.  Masks are required for any students riding morning bus routes until proper screening is complete upon arrival at school.  Cannon County Schools will not permit field trips until further notice. Additionally, all athletics will follow TSSAA guidelines and recommendations.

Section 4 – Academics contains information regarding Blended Learning in Person or Distance

Cannon County Instructional Day which is 7 hours; RTI will be included in Expanded Learning/Flexible time expectation for T1, T2, T3, and Special Education needs. Family and teacher connections will be increased to include daily attendance checks. Teachers will post available communication modes and times on their website. Most teachers have phones in their classroom or will be receiving them soon.  Grade Level Time Expectations, Sample Schedules, Academic and Counseling Guidelines, Specific Instructional Materials, Grading, and Feedback for Face to Face Instruction and Remote Instruction are addressed.   

Instructional Gaps

Schools will use data from baseline assessments to determine where gaps exist with each school. Larger than normal gaps should be expected with our significant instructional time lost in the spring of 2020. Gaps will be addressed in small groups and during the Tier I remediation, or Tier 2/3 interventions.  All students will be learning in Core Instruction with grade appropriate standards and adopted curriculum.  Data sources will include Winter 2019/2020 Benchmark data from AimsWeb, Diagnostic Assessments from instructional programs, Baseline assessments such as TDOE formative TCAP assessments, Data coaches will collect benchmark data from Winter 2019 and work with classroom teachers in Data PLC meetings to create plans and tiered interventions for all students. Data PLCs will meet at least every 4.5 weeks but are expected to meet weekly until plans are in place.

Special Education

Any student receiving IEP services who is considering moving to a remote learning plan should have a plan developed to create appropriate educational strategy with expectations related to daily participation in learning activities, accommodations, and intervention.

Parents and staff with questions related to a student’s IEP may contact Special Education Supervisor Julie Vincent (Julie.Vincent@ccstn.net) or telephone contact at 629-201-4801 Extension 10110.

Section 5 – Technology – Cannon County Schools uses various technology resources to provide collaboration, communication, and feedback for students and parents. Reliable internet connection is required for those who choose the distance learning option.  Teachers will create and keep updated information on their website Skyward Student Information System supplies a parent portal to update records, view student progress, register new students, and push notifications to families/students.  Goggle is the district learning management system that will be used daily to post content for students in the traditional and distance learning path.  Google Meet and Zoom can be used for video conferencing with students in grades PreK-12 and to record content and Tech coaches are available at each school.  To assist students who do not have internet access at home, additional WIFI hotspots were installed at each school campus to extend access to the parking lot. Teachers and School Technology Coaches will provide students the first level of support regarding technical assistance. Any technical assistance that cannot be remedied at this level will be escalated to the Technology Department through the Technology Help Desk system. In cases where more urgent response is needed, the Tech Department staff may be contacted directly via phone, text, or email.

Section 6 – Communication – Communication during the Reopening of Cannon County Schools for the 2020-2021 School Year is ESSENTIAL to the safe and efficient learning environment of our students.   There are MULTIPLE means and levels to maintain two-way communication with the School District and our seven (7) Schools in Cannon County with parents/guardians and other stakeholders. These modes of communication include at the Classroom-Level: one-to-one telephone voice communication, emails, and Remind Notifications for individual classroom information and Google Classroom, with Skyward being utilized to update attendance, grading, and contact information;  At the School-Level: Weekly newsletters are sent out to all parents/guardians through print form, email, and Remind with urgent messages sent via the Bright Arrow system to text messaging and email accounts to those individuals signed up, each school has a Website and Facebook page that is updated on a near daily basis for the latest information; On the District-Level telephone voice communication, emails, are used for two-way communication;  the Director of Schools is the PIO (Public Information Officer ) for Cannon County Schools and sends Press Releases to multiple Cannon County Media Outlets – Newspaper/Website Cannon Courier, Radio Station/Website WBRY, and multiple local Facebook outlets, as well as, the District website (ccstn.net) contains the latest Press Releases and Urgent Information.  We are in the process of establishing a Twitter account for Cannon County Schools for more of a social media presence.  Through these means Cannon County Schools does its utmost to “get the word out” regarding the near daily/hourly changes due to COVID-19.

Director of Cannon County Schools – Mr. William F. Curtis stated, “Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year! No doubt this year will offer many unique challenges and opportunities for growth. As we enter this journey together we respectfully ask for the Cannon County Schools Family’s patience, cooperation, flexibility, and goodwill. Please know, as we navigate this pandemic, our Cannon County Schools TEAM is fully committed to children in our district and working together to achieve OUR MISSION – ‘Preparing All Students for Their Future!’” 

“In light of the ongoing situation with COVID-19, we must remain open-minded and flexible as we begin the school year. As we have learned, change is happening every day and sometimes even every few hours. Our experiences in the past few months have proven that working cooperatively and showing care for each other offers the best chance for successful outcomes. We immensely appreciate your partnership and will work to ensure that OUR Goal to ‘Provide a SAFE and SUPPORTIVE LEARNING Environment’ is achieved EVERY DAY!  This will allow your student to have the greatest opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive during this unprecedented time.”

Curtis continued, “While planning for the school year, Cannon County School System leaders have been committed to utilizing all available information and gathering feedback from a wide variety of stakeholders. All parents were given the opportunity to provide input through an online survey. We have also conducted in-person meetings with several stakeholder groups during the ‘Reopening process.’  Our Reopening Task Force consists of district administrators, principals, school board members, the local Cannon County Education Association President, many local officials including representatives of the local health department, Cannon County EMA, Law Enforcement, Cannon County Community healthcare providers, and community members. We are continuously consulting with the Tennessee Department of Education, fellow Upper Cumberland school systems, other school systems in Tennessee, as well as, local officials in Cannon County as we plan for the opening of our schools.”

“Our ongoing mission is to provide a high-quality education for the children of this community while at the same time ensuring the safety of our students, families, and staff. We are also mindful that we must honor the many viewpoints surrounding COVID-19 and any impact our plans may have on families and the Cannon County Community. We hope this Reopening Plan will provide the Cannon County Schools Family with guidelines and practices to support our MISSION and VISION – ‘New E3 – Engaged in Excellence EVERY Day’ and establish a team effort in taking care of ALL OUR students – together.”

Curtis concluded, “I urge Parents/Guardians to please keep in touch with their child’s Teacher, Principal, and Central Office Staff, including myself if needed.  We thank everyone in advance for their assistance in aiding all of US to work together for our most precious gift – OUR children and OUR students to advance their learning.”

Unemployment rates in a vast majority of Tennessee’s 95 counties continued to drop in June, according to new data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
 
Seventy-four counties had lower jobless rates for the month, as Tennessee continues to reopen after many businesses closed in the spring to help curb the spread of COVID-19.
 
Unemployment did increase slightly in 17 counties during the month and remained the same in four counties.

In Cannon County, June found 569 Cannon Countians without employment or 9.0 percent. This is an improvement from the May rate of 11.9, a decrease of 2.9.  Of all of its adjoining counties, Cannon has the lowest rate of unemployment.  In June, Coffee has a rate of 10.5, DeKalb 11.6, Rutherford 10.6, Warren 12.7 and Wilson 9.3 percent
 
Williamson County recorded the lowest unemployment rate in June. At 6.7%, the rate dropped 0.4 of a percentage point when compared to May’s rate.
 

Shelby County had the state’s highest rate of unemployment in June. Its figure jumped 1.8 percentage points to 13.2%.

Grundy County was just below Shelby County at 13.1%, which represents a 3.8 percentage point drop from May’s rate of 16.9%.

Knoxville had the lowest unemployment rate among Tennessee’s three largest cities at 9.5%, which is a 0.3 of a percentage point decrease from the month before. Nashville had a rate of 12.1%, down 0.2 of a percentage point from May. Memphis saw a 2.4 percentage point increase in unemployment between May and June to 15.3%.

Tennessee’s statewide unemployment rate decreased for the second consecutive month. The June 2020 seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 9.7%, down 1.3 percentage points from May’s revised rate of 11%.

Nationally, seasonally adjusted unemployment dropped by 2.2 percentage points in June, going from 13.3% to 11.1%.

Students and parents know the start to the school year begins with the WeCareCannon event. Community volunteers are working tirelessly this weekend to make sure that backpacks are packed, hygiene products are bagged, shoes and socks and underwear are bundled and ready to go, and school Spirit T-shirts are ready to be worn for all the families and children that will participate in WeCareCannon 2020.

This is the 10th annual back to school initiative for our county! It will take place this Sunday, July 26 at Woodbury Grammar School from 2:00pm-5:00pm.

A record amount of funds have been collected, and more heavily than before by local community businesses and individuals. Just over $50,000 has been raised to outfit a large portion of the students with what they need to be prepared for a new school year.

Volunteer information can be found through Facebook and other social media sites.

To take advantage of WeCareCannon, families are asked to begin to line up no earlier than 12noon this Sunday in the parking lot of Woodbury Grammar School. Due to efforts to decrease the spread of COVID-19, the 2020 event will be strictly a drive-through event for the families and their students.

All of the usual school supplies and products will be given to the students, however due to other precautions services such as haircuts and sports physicals cannot be given this year.

WeCareCannon volunteers wish to thank everyone who has helped in anyway!