A very special THANK YOU to Kohler in Union City for their very generous donation of school supplies to help ensure our students have the resources they need for a successful school year.

Last week was exciting for our students as each participating school had its "house reveal" pep rallies where students discovered to which house they belong. The excitement was evident in the students and staff at Obion County Middle School.

8 Houses, 1 Family.

Did you know that each house at Obion County Central High School and Obion County Middle School has a special meaning?
With differing origins, each house name describes specific qualities to encourage students' growth. Read below to find out all about them.

- ALHI- a Chickasaw word that translates to true, truly, or real/genuine. Students in the house of Alhi represent the gentle, yet strong nature of the bear. They stick to the truth and show integrity by doing the right thing, even when no one is looking. This makes them honest learners. They find and achieve greatness the right way.
- CANJI- In Hausa, Canji means "change" or "exchange". It is a loanword adapted directly from the English word "change" and is widely used in everyday West African Hausa conversation.
Students in the house of Canji are transformative, flexible, and ever changing, like frogs. They use these tools to renew themselves from the students they were, to the students they are meant to become.
- HOLFO- In Chikashshanompa' (the Chickasaw language), the verb meaning "to grow" is Holhfo. Students in Holfo know that growth is essential if they are to soar. Like the eagle, they are always learning and know they are meant to spread their wings and become the leaders they are meant to be.
- IMPONNA- Imponna is a Choctaw word that means skilled, talented, clever, or an expert at something. The house of Imponna holds students that are adaptable and able to overcome obstacles through their cleverness and cunning. They use each other to grow stronger together and know their team can help them achieve their goals.
- INKANA- In the Chickasaw language, Inkana means "friend". The ducks of Inkana use their friends and their family to be stronger together. They are extremely loyal and know where they are at all times. These ducks fly together and they know they cannot achieve their goals alone.
- NAFASI- In Swahili, Nafasi means space, room, chance, or opportunity. The bobcats of Nafasi know the opportunities that are presented to them and have the creativity and resilience to take advantage of them. They are fierce and ready to pounce on the chances they have to be great.
- RAHU- Rahu is an Estonian word meaning “peace”. Students in Rahu are peaceful and graceful. They use the deer to represent not only these qualities but also the strength it takes to take on this world. The deer of Rahu have the strength to carry on with grace to achieve their goals.
- RISORSI-The Italian word Risorsi is an inflected verb form meaning "I rose again" or "I sprang up". The Risorsi house always rises again when knocked down. Like their squirrel mascot, they are ingenuitive and always find new ways to achieve their goals while also showing compassion to others. They are determined to do what they need to do to rise up and overcome obstacles.

Congratulations to the South Fulton Middle/High School Girls Indoor Volleyball Team for earning the 2026 AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2025–2026 season!

This national honor recognizes volleyball programs that maintained a year-long team GPA of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale.

Coach Chad shared that this marks the fifth consecutive year the team has maintained a GPA above 3.3. This is an outstanding reflection of these student-athletes’ dedication, discipline, and commitment to excellence both on the court and in the classroom.

Congratulations to the players, coaches, families, and staff who helped make this achievement possible!

See Something? Say Something with SafeTN

As we begin a new school year, the Obion County School District encourages parents, students, staff, and community members to download the SafeTN app.

SafeTN is the State of Tennessee’s official mobile app for anonymously reporting suspicious, unsafe, or potentially harmful activity in schools and communities. Reports may include concerns such as bullying, threats of violence, suspicious behavior, physical harm, or threats of harm to oneself or others. Information submitted through SafeTN is reviewed by the Tennessee Office of Homeland Security Threat Assessment Center.

The app also provides access to helpful resources related to bullying, mental health, and substance abuse.

We encourage families to review the attached flyer, scan the QR code, and talk with students about the importance of reporting concerning behavior. Speaking up can help protect our schools and our community.

Learn more about SafeTN here: https://www.obioncountyschools.com/page/safetn

In an emergency or a situation requiring immediate assistance, always call 911.

The wait is over...

On Monday, August 3rd, our hallways will once again be filled with smiling faces, new friendships, fresh opportunities, and the excitement that comes with the start of a new school year.

Whether you're walking into school for the very first time, starting a new chapter at a new school, or returning for your final year, know that this year is full of possibilities. Our teachers, staff, and administrators have been working hard all summer to prepare for your arrival, and they can't wait to welcome you back.

To our parents and guardians, thank you for trusting us with your children. We look forward to partnering with you to make this an incredible year of learning, growth, and success.

Here's to new beginnings, big goals, and making the 2026–2027 school year our best yet.

Welcome back, Obion County Schools! We'll see you Monday, August 3!

#ObionCountySchools #BackToSchool #OneDistrictOneFamily

The Obion County School District would like to inform parents and guardians of an important change regarding early morning student drop-off.

Students may now be dropped off as early as 6:30 a.m. However, any student dropped off before 7:00 a.m. must be enrolled in ESP and will be subject to ESP fees.

Drop-off beginning at 7:00 a.m. is available at no cost.

Families who need early morning care or would like additional information should contact their child’s school directly.

Obion County Schools Names Jaime Johnson as Communications Director Obion County Schools is pleased to announce the appointment of Jaime Johnson as the district’s next Communications Director. Johnson brings a unique combination of communications, marketing, and educational experience to the role. She is a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Martin, where she earned a degree in Communications/Public Relations. Her professional background includes serving as Marketing Coordinator for First State Bank (now Simmons Bank) and Assistant Supervisor of Creative Services for CBK. Most recently, Johnson has spent the past 10 years serving as an Educational Assistant at Lake Road School, giving her firsthand knowledge of the students, staff, and communities that make up Obion County Schools. In her new role, Johnson will oversee the district’s communications efforts, including community engagement, social media, website management, public relations, and sharing the many accomplishments of students and staff across the district. “I am extremely excited to step into the role of Communications Director for Obion County Schools,” Johnson said. “I’ve had the privilege of working directly with the students of Obion County for 10 years, and it is such a joy to witness the wonderful things the students and employees accomplish. It isn’t lost on me what a meaningful opportunity this is, and I can’t wait to put a spotlight on all the incredible things this school system has to offer.” Obion County Schools welcomes Johnson into her new role and looks forward to the passion, creativity, and dedication she will bring as she continues telling the story of the district and celebrating the success of its students, employees, and community.

🍼❤️ The Tiny Rebel Academy Is Officially Open! ❤️🍼 Obion County Schools’ new daycare program officially launched this week, and we are already loving our newest little crew! Last Thursday, we welcomed our Tiny Rebels and their parents for an informational meeting and special introduction to the program. Families learned more about the daycare, received important information, and had the opportunity to meet our wonderful staff. Bringing The Tiny Rebel Academy to life was no easy feat! A very special thank-you goes to Mrs. Sandy Simpson, OCS Supervisor of Instruction for Grades K–5 and Pre-K Director; Ms. Melissa Merritt, Lake Road Principal and On-Site Daycare Director; and our entire daycare staff for the long hours, hard work, and dedication they have poured into one of OCS’s newest additions. We are so excited to welcome these little Rebels into the OCS family and cannot wait to watch them learn and grow! ❤️

🍎 Breakfast and lunch are on us!

Obion County Schools is excited to continue providing free breakfast and lunch to all students during the upcoming school year. We know this is a meaningful support for our students and families, and we are grateful to offer nutritious meals at no cost.

We can’t wait to welcome our students back! ❤️💙

The countdown is on! 📚🍎

The 2026-2027 Obion County Schools calendar is here!

The first day of school for students is Monday, August 3. As you make plans for the upcoming year, be sure to save the calendar so you'll have important dates like holidays, breaks, parent-teacher conferences, early dismissals, and the last day of school right at your fingertips.

We can't wait to welcome our students, staff, and families back for another great year. Here's to an exciting 2026-2027 school year!

#WeAreOCS #OCSReady #BackToSchool

Please join us in welcoming Melissa Merritt as the new principal of Lake Road Elementary!

Ms. Merritt brings many years of educational experience and leadership to Lake Road. Most recently, she served as assistant principal and later principal at Ridgemont Elementary, where she made a positive impact on students, staff, and families.

She is excited to join the Lake Road community and looks forward to building strong relationships while supporting student success and growth.

📚 Registration for Obion County Middle School is almost here! We’re excited to welcome our Rebels for the first school year at Obion County Middle School! 🗓 Registration Dates • July 13–16 • July 20 ⏰ 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. 📍 Obion County Middle School 1285 US-45W Union City, TN Who needs to register? If your student completed last school year at Hillcrest or Lake Road, you do not need to register. Your student’s information has already been transferred to OCMS. It’s a new school, a new chapter, and a new beginning for our Rebels. We can’t wait to see you! For questions, please call the OCMS office next week at 731-536-5171.

🏀 South Fulton High School Welcomes New Basketball Coaches! 🏀 South Fulton High School is excited to welcome two outstanding leaders to our basketball program! Eric Wilson has been named the Head Girls Basketball Coach. Coach Wilson brings 10 years of coaching experience and 15 years in education. His coaching journey includes Westview, Bradford, Inman Middle School, and most recently South Gibson High School. A Martin native and Westview graduate, he earned both his bachelor’s degree in History and his master’s degree from the University of Tennessee at Martin. Bryce McFarland has been named the Head Boys Basketball Coach. A lifelong South Fulton community member and South Fulton High School graduate, Coach McFarland earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee at Martin. He brings eight years of coaching experience at both the middle and high school levels and is excited to build a strong, long-term basketball program at SFHS. Please join us in welcoming Coaches Wilson and McFarland to the Red Devil family! We can’t wait to see the impact they’ll have on our student-athletes, both on and off the court.

Monday Memories! 💙

We're kicking off the week by looking back at one of our outstanding professional learning opportunities!

Recently, Pre-K teachers Nicole Hicks and Kaycee Mathenia, Educational Assistant Megan Stockdale, Supervisors Sandy Simpson and Dawn Robertson, and Lake Road Principal Melissa Merritt attended the Bridge Early Childhood Conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The conference provided valuable learning experiences, fresh ideas, and new strategies that will help strengthen early childhood education across Obion County Schools.

Attendees were encouraged to wear their school spirit gear! ❤️💙

We love seeing our educators continue to learn, grow, and bring new ideas back to our classrooms. Thank you for representing Obion County Schools so well!

#MondayMemories #ObionCountySchools #ProfessionalLearning #EarlyChildhoodEducation #LifelongLearning

Flashback Friday! 🦌🌿

Today we're looking back and celebrating an outstanding achievement by several Obion County students who represented our district at the Western Region 4-H Wildlife Judging Contest!

Competing against 121 participants, our students showcased their knowledge of wildlife identification, habitat management, and conservation while earning some impressive honors:

🏆 Junior High Team – 1st Place
👏 Junior Team – 3rd Place

Individual recognitions included:
🥈 Amber Lawrence (Lake Road Elementary) – 2nd High Scoring Individual, Junior High Division
🥉 Nate Lawrence (Lake Road Elementary) – 3rd High Scoring Individual, Junior Division
⭐ Omar Harris (Ridgemont Elementary) – 8th High Scoring Individual, Junior High Division

Wildlife Judging challenges students to identify wildlife using pelts, skulls, photos, and calls while learning how to manage habitats that support healthy wildlife populations. These students dedicated weeks to after-school practices, working alongside local wildlife professionals to prepare for competition.

A special thank you to Obion County Extension, our volunteer coaches, and community partners who invested their time and expertise to help these students succeed. Opportunities like these allow our students to learn beyond the classroom while developing teamwork, critical thinking, and a deeper appreciation for Tennessee's natural resources.

Congratulations to all of our participants! We're proud to celebrate your hard work and accomplishments! ❤️💙

#FlashbackFriday #ObionCountySchools #4H #WildlifeJudging #StudentSuccess #RebelPride

📚✨ Calling All Future Pre-K Superstars! ✨📚 We have room for 25 more little learners to join the fun this school year! 🎨🖍️ Pre-K openings are available at: 🏫 Hillcrest Elementary 🏫 Lake Road Elementary If your child is ready for a year filled with learning, laughter, new friends, and exciting adventures, now is the perfect time to enroll! Don’t miss the chance to give your child a strong start in a caring, engaging, and fun learning environment. ❤️ 📞 Contact your school or the Obion County Schools Board Office for more information and enrollment details. Let’s fill these classrooms with smiling faces and future Rebels! 🎉🍎 #FutureStartsHere #OCSPreK #LittleLearnersBigDreams

📢 A Quick Heads Up!

As we transition to a new website and social media management system, you may notice a few posts over the next several days that look familiar. Don't worry—it's not a mistake! We're simply working through the setup process as we prepare for our new platform launch in July.

We're excited about the improvements this system will bring, including more timely communication and even more opportunities for you to see what's happening across our district in real time.

Thank you for your patience and support as we make this transition!