Update from the Director- A warm and a running start: August & September in Henry County Schools

What an incredible start to the 2025-2026 school year it has been! I am bursting with pride and excitement reflecting on the tremendous energy and positive momentum we’ve generated over August and September.

We started the year right by welcoming back our phenomenal faculty and staff. It was a time of true rejuvenation and fellowship, kicked off by a special welcome-back address from guest speaker Todd Nesloney. His inspiring message set a wonderful tone of passion and dedication for the year ahead. We were also thrilled to introduce several new faces to our system and celebrate those who transitioned into new roles within our buildings. Their fresh perspectives and continued dedication make our system stronger than ever.

Student Life and Celebrations

The halls are once again buzzing with activity as we welcomed our students back from summer break. Their enthusiasm is contagious!

This time of year always brings exciting opportunities for our students to shine:

The band competition season is in full swing, and our musicians are performing beautifully.
Fall sports are dominating the fields, courts, and courses, showcasing incredible teamwork and athleticism.
Our speech teams have already begun their competitive season.
We had a spectacular showing at the Henry County Fair, where our Agricultural Programs were highlighted. The showmanship and dedication of our students who showed animals were truly commendable and a testament to their hard work.

New Opportunities and Community Ties

We are committed to providing robust opportunities for leadership and service. I am thrilled to share the return of two important programs:

We officially brought back Youth Leadership Henry County in partnership with the Henry County Leadership Alum and the Chamber of Commerce, focusing on developing our next generation of community leaders.
The Beta Club has been reinstated at HCHS, offering students a chance to promote the ideals of high academic achievement, character, and service.

Serving Our Community

We are proud to continue our efforts to support every student and family in Henry County. Thanks to renewed USDA funding, we are happy to report that the free breakfast and lunch programs remain active in all Henry County Schools, ensuring our students have the fuel they need to learn every day. Furthermore, our successful Back to School Bash—held in partnership with the Henry County Family Resource and The Shed—was a fantastic event that brought our community together before the first bell rang.

With so much to celebrate and so many amazing things happening across our system, the 2025-2026 school year is set for a wonderful run. It is an honor to serve our students, staff, and community.

What are you most looking forward to seeing our students accomplish in the coming months?

Elementary Education

Our kindergarten students are making exciting progress as they begin learning how to blend sounds together to form words. Blending is an important early reading skill that helps children connect the sounds of letters (phonemes) into meaningful words they can recognize and read.

During lessons, students practice listening carefully to the sounds in words and then “pushing” those sounds together. For example, they might hear /c/…/a/…/t/ and blend the sounds to say cat. This hands-on learning is supported through fun activities such as games, songs, and interactive practice with their teachers.

Blending gives our young readers the tools they need to become more confident and independent as they start their journey toward fluent reading. We are proud of the effort our kindergarteners are showing each day, and we look forward to watching their reading skills continue to grow!

Middle Education

8 math — From big to small: learning how to compute with scientific notation in real-world contexts.

Sorting, observing, and recording — 7th graders practice scientific classification of matter.

3rd — Building knowledge of how communities access books with My Librarian Is a Camel.

Sharing stories, sharing ideas — students explore The Stories Julian Tells in pairs.

ESL

ESL students work on listening, speaking, reading and writing instructional activities daily.

9-12 Education

Parallel lines and transversals are drawn on the sidewalk to help understand angle relationships.

AP Language students are analyzing the use of evidence and reasoning in Sherman Alexie's "Superman and Me."

Suspense Literature students work on a suspense piece using a mask as inspiration.

CTE and Work-Based Learning

Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO) are the backbone of CTE!

Fine Arts

The Henry County Marching Patriots have kicked off an exciting season filled with music, movement, and school spirit. After summer band camp, weeks of after school rehearsals, late-night practices, and hours of dedication, our students are ready to showcase their hard work on the field.

This year’s marching show, combines precision drill, powerful brass and woodwinds,the heartbeat of the percussion section, and color guard to create a performance that inspires both audiences and judges alike. Students have already performed at football games, rallying school pride with each halftime show.

The competition season is now underway, with upcoming performances at regional locations. These events give our students the opportunity to perform alongside other talented bands, receive feedback from judges, and continue striving for excellence.

Marching band is more than just music—it teaches teamwork, discipline, leadership, and perseverance. We are proud of our students’ commitment and can’t wait to see all they achieve this season. Be sure to come out and cheer them on at both football games and competitions—your support makes all the difference!

Chorus Students Audition for All West

Henry County High School chorus students are stepping into the spotlight in September as they audition for the prestigious All West Honor Choir. These auditions bring together some of the most talented vocalists from across the region, giving students the opportunity to showcase their skills and earn a place among the best.

Preparing for All West requires hours of practice, focus, and dedication. Students have been working diligently on sight-reading, scales, and selected audition pieces in order to perform at their very best. Those who are selected will go on to represent Henry County High School at the All West Honor Choir Clinic and Concert, where they will join voices with students from across West Tennessee in a powerful performance.

We are proud of the commitment our chorus students have shown and wish them the best as they audition in Jackson, Tennessee. Their hard work reflects the strength of our music program and the support of our school community.

School Nutrition

The School Nutrition staff at Harrelson, Henry & Lakewood had a wonderful time celebrating Grandparents Day by offering a delicious breakfast! In just three days, our team served over 800 special adult visitors and more than 1000 students. We always enjoy celebrating our families and students!

Up next, we're already preparing for our festive Thanksgiving meals, where students and their families can enjoy another special time together.

Athletics in Henry County

Students make memories at E.W. Grove Freshman Academy and Henry County High School as they prepare for a home football game!

Middle Grades

HCMS Girls' Soccer travels to State!

High School

A multi-year rivalry continues forward with a BIG RED WIN! The barrel continues to stay in Henry County! #GBR

Dorothy Noble Harrelson

Harrelson Third Graders are loving their new books in ELA. Students are reading, providing text evidence, and really getting into the complexities and dynamics of reading and comprehending what they read. Excited readers are motivated readers, and this 3rd grade is EXCITED!

2nd grade completed their Folk Tale Unit with Paul Bunyan and celebrated by making his favorite meal.

First grade uses snacks to complete the circulatory system!

Sixth Grade Hawks are loving their Jeopardy Game days to practice for their assessments.

Henry

In 3rd grade ELA, students have been diving into the book My Librarian Is a Camel and researching how children in different countries around the world gain access to books. Students presented their findings on eight different countries to the class, sharing what they learned about global literacy.

To showcase their hard work, the class also created a QR code gallery outside their classroom, allowing the rest of the school to explore and enjoy their presentations!

Mrs. Katie’s 1st graders celebrated Johnny Appleseed Day with a variety of apple-themed activities! Students created a craft by writing short “a” words on paper apples and gluing them to make their own “bag of apples.” We then headed outside for a fun science experiment with apple volcanoes, followed by apple tasting and comparing our favorites. To end the day, we enjoyed a sweet treat by making caramel apples!

Ms. Bailey Gordon’s 7th grade science class took their learning outdoors this week! Students headed to the outdoor classroom to play Matter and Energy Bingo, an engaging review activity designed to reinforce key science terms. This fun, interactive game helped students wrap up their first topic on matter and energy while enjoying some fresh air and hands-on learning.

The 7th and 8th Grade STEAM Brew Crew is brewing up something special! This 4.5-week period, our 7th graders are kicking off the school-based enterprise coffee cart project, with the remainder of the 7th and 8th graders rotating in throughout the year.

Through this hands-on experience, students are responsible for marketing, managing inventory, analyzing market trends, and budgeting—developing real-world skills while contributing to a meaningful school-wide initiative. Being part of this project is not only an incredible learning opportunity but also an exciting honor for our students!

Lakewood

Our PTO has been hard at work already this year! They have organized a successful membership drive, treated staff with a teacher appreciation cart, and hosted Popcorn Friday for all students. Their efforts are making a positive impact on both students and staff, and we are so thankful for their continued support and dedication to Lakewood.

Our students had the exciting opportunity to shop the Scholastic Book Fair with their special guests during Grandparents Day breakfast. It was wonderful to see grandparents and grandchildren browsing books together, sharing stories, and finding new favorites to take home.

Lakewood had a tremendous turnout for our Grandparents Day breakfasts on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. It was such a joy to see so many grandparents on campus sharing this special time with their grandchildren. The smiles, conversations, and connections made throughout the week truly highlighted the importance of family and community in our school. We are grateful for everyone who attended and helped make this tradition such a memorable success!

Lakewood’s Best Buddies Chapter was recently named Chapter of the Year! This incredible recognition highlights the dedication of our students and staff to building friendships, promoting inclusion, and creating a supportive school community. We are so proud of their hard work and the positive impact they continue to make at Lakewood.

Fun Food Friday was a hit in Ms. Stacy Cunningham’s class! This morning, students made delicious breakfast parfaits that were 100% kid-approved. They enjoyed cutting up fresh strawberries to add to their creations and had a great time putting everything together. Recipe cards are coming home so families can try them out, too!

During Parent-Teacher Conferences, our rotation team hosted a special fall STEM activity for families called “Pumpkins, Perseverance, and Problem Solving.” Parents and students worked together on hands-on challenges that encouraged creativity, critical thinking, and teamwork. It was a wonderful opportunity for families to experience STEM learning firsthand and see how perseverance and problem-solving skills play an important role in the classroom.

E.W. Grove

The Student Ambassadors designed a new bulletin board called Patriot Central, now on display in the bottom of E Atrium. The board highlights what’s happening at HCHS and Grove Freshman Academy, giving students and visitors a one-stop glance at school spirit and upcoming events.

Example of a Classroom Quilt from Travis Jackson and Jammie Adkisson's class. Around campus, several classes completed their Capturing Kids’ Hearts classroom contracts, setting a positive tone for expectations and relationships as the year moves forward.

Algebra I students got hands-on with inequalities by graphing them on a number line built right on the classroom floor using painter’s tape. This interactive lesson gave students a chance to literally “walk through” their math learning.

Biology was doing wall sits to learn about cellular respiration.

Student celebrations have been a major part of student life at HCHS this fall! Pictured above: Seniors received rewards for their growth and achievement on ACT. Below: Teachers take the opportunity to highlight students showing great character with Positive Office Referrals.

On National Voter Registration Day, we were honored to welcome Ms. DeLaina Green with the Henry County Election Commission to the HCHS campus. Ms. Green met with ALL seniors to encourage them to become registered voters and helped them through the process.

The Henry County Marching Patriots are once again in the competition season! While you may see them at games, hyping up the crowd and their Patriot players, the HCMP were also bringing home trophies. They placed 2nd out 19 bands at their final competition!

Vision and Mission

Our Vision

Empowering every student to know their value and be equipped for a successful future.

Our Mission

To provide a supportive and inclusive educational environment where every student is recognized, valued, and given the resources and opportunities to achieve their full potential, ensuring they are well-prepared for lifelong success.

Henry County School System Newsletter