District Announcement:
Real Learning First, Safe Tech Second!
At Hawkins County Schools, direct, face-to-face instruction always comes first! In alignment with Tennessee's screen time law, classroom devices are strictly used to support—never replace—our incredible teachers. In grade K-5, students will have lessons in internet safety.
We’re also proud to utilize MagicSchool, the only approved AI platform for HCS students. Designed specifically for K-12 education, MagicSchool helps our students:
Build future-ready digital literacy & critical thinking skills
Learn in a safe, age-appropriate environment that protects student privacy
Receive personalized academic support tailored to their learning pace
Have questions about classroom tech? Reach out to your school's administration anytime. Thank you for your continued partnership!
#HCSignites #HawkinsCountySchools #FutureReady #DigitalWellness #StudentSafety
We are excited to welcome everyone back for the start of a new school year! The first day of school is Monday, August 3rd, and we can't wait to see you.
As we begin the school year, several areas of our campus are still under construction, including the roof, library, and new front entrance. We appreciate your patience and understanding as our construction crews continue their work to improve our school. Your cooperation will help us maintain a safe environment for everyone.
Please review the important information below to help ensure a smooth and safe first day:
School will dismiss at 11:30 a.m.
Breakfast and lunch will not be served on the first day of school.
Doors will open at 7:15 a.m.
School will begin daily at 7:55am.
Morning Arrival (Car Riders)
All car riders should enter through the South Entrance at the CTE building.
Please drive around the building and drop students off at the gym entrance.
Student Locations Before School
Seniors and Juniors: Upper level of the gym
Sophomores: Commons Area
Freshmen: Little Theater
Afternoon Pick-Up
Car riders may be picked up in Parking Lot B (beside the softball field).
After buses depart (approximately 11:40 a.m.), students may also be picked up at the library entrance.
Thank you for your patience, flexibility, and support as we begin this exciting school year while campus improvements continue. We look forward to a great year at Cherokee High School. See you on Monday, August 3rd!
Welcome to the 2026–2027 School Year!
We are so excited to welcome our students, families, and staff back for another incredible year!
To help make this school year as smooth and connected as possible, we encourage all parents and guardians to stay in touch through Rooms inside our official HCS App!
Rooms is your all-in-one hub for district and classroom communication. Right from your phone, you can:
Message teachers directly
Submit attendance notes quickly
Check daily dining menus
Get real-time bus route changes & updates
How to Get Started:
Download the HCS App on the App Store (Apple) or Google Play Store (Android).
Open the app and toggle over to Rooms to log in or set up your account.
Check out our helpful video for a quick step-by-step walkthrough of how to turn in an absence excuse: https://youtube.com/shorts/VsKF3wacTaA?si=yM0akiJJHPlJZHYN
Parent Guide & Resources:
https://info.apptegy.com/for-parents-and-guardians
Let’s make communication seamless this year. Download the app today and stay connected!
#BackToSchool #HCSApp #Rooms #ParentCommunication #StayConnected #HCSignites
Hawkins County Schools Meet Your Bus Driver Event
On Wednesday, July 29 at 4:00pm bus drivers will drive their route. Please come out to your bus stop and meet your driver for the 26-27 school year! Welcome back!!!
We are pleased to share that our Student Management System, Skyward, is back up and fully operational. Families, guardians, and students can now log in as normal to enroll for the 26-27 school year, check grades, review attendance, and access student records.
Thank you so much for your patience and understanding while the system was unavailable!
🔗 Skyward Login: https://skyward.iscorp.com/p12eduhawkinscotn/web/seplog01.w
#HawkinsCountySchools #Skyward #SchoolUpdate #HCSCommunity #HCSignites
Exciting News for Hawkins County Families!
We are thrilled to announce that Surgoinsville Elementary School is opening a BRAND NEW Voluntary Pre-K (VPK) classroom! We are so glad to expand our high-quality early childhood education program to even more students across our county.
Hawkins County VPK Locations:
Surgoinsville Elementary (NEW!)
Mt. Carmel Elementary
Joseph Rogers Primary
Bulls Gap School
If you have a little one ready to start their learning journey, don't wait!
Apply Today: Fill out our online application request form here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScEt6FbQKeoldf2xQ-461CMd_X_69P8f-JxkMupEK2Rzt6eOw/viewform
More Info: Visit hck12.net
Questions? Call us at 423-272-7629 Ext. 2052
Please help us spread the word by sharing this post with local families!
Our student information system, Skyward, is currently down due to a server issue affecting school districts across Tennessee. Because of this, we are unable to complete student enrollments, make schedule changes, or process other student information until the system is back online.
We know this is frustrating, especially as we prepare for the new school year, and we appreciate your patience while the issue is being resolved. We'll continue working as soon as Skyward is available again and will share updates when we receive them.
Thank you for your understanding!
Gear up for a great school year, Hawkins County!
As we get ready to welcome our students back, our incredible Transportation Department is working hard behind the scenes to ensure everyone has a safe ride to school.
To keep you fully informed, we want to share a quick update: like many districts across the country, we are currently running a bit short-staffed on drivers. Because of this, we will be starting the school year with a few "double routes."
What you need to know:
*We are still finalizing the schedule, so we don’t know exactly which routes will be doubled just yet.
*Rest assured, as we get closer to the start of school, we will share those specific details directly with you.
*We are very hopeful that this will be a temporary situation as we work to fill these positions!
Want to join our amazing team? We need your help to get us to 100%! If you or anyone you know loves serving our community, enjoys working with kids, and is interested in becoming a school bus driver, we would love to talk to you.
Please call the Hawkins County Schools Transportation Department (423-272-7629 Ext: 2504) today to learn more or apply!
Thank you, Hawkins County families, for your patience, support, and flexibility as we work together to make this a fantastic and safe school year for our kids! #HawkinsCountySchools #CommunityStrong #BackToSchool #HCSignite
As we gear up for an amazing 2026-27 school year, Hawkins County Schools are pleased to announce a unified daily schedule across our district. To provide better consistency, safety, and convenience for our families and bus routes, all standard HCS campuses will follow the exact same times this year!
Our Standard Daily Schedule (All Campuses):
Doors Open: 7:15 AM
School Begins (Tardy Bell): 8:00 AM
School Dismisses: 3:00 PM
Important Notice for Pre-K Families: Please note that Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) classes do not follow this standard schedule. Pre-K runs on an alternate, specialized schedule to allow for safer, staggered transition times. Pre-K parents, please check directly with your child’s individual classroom teacher for specific drop-off and dismissal times!
Weather Closures & Schedule Delays: As always, the safety of our students and staff is our absolute top priority. In the event of inclement winter weather or road hazards, the district may implement delayed openings or emergency closures.
We will communicate any schedule adjustments immediately. Please make sure you are following our official channels for real-time updates: The Hawkins County Schools Mobile App (Download for free in the App Store and Google Play!); the HCS Facebook page; text messages (Be sure your contact info is up to date in the parent portal!); and the district Website: www.hck12.net
Thank you for your partnership as we work together to make the 2026-27 school year our absolute best one yet!
#HawkinsCountySchools #HCSignite #BackToSchool2026
YMCA OF GREATER KINGSPORT
📚 FREE SUMMER FOOD BOXES 📚
Families are invited to pick up free food boxes during the month of July for children age 0-18:
🏫 Volunteer High School
📅 July 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30
🕒 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
🏫 Joseph Rogers Primary School
📅 July 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30
A mission launch to our amazing teachers! They're the true explorers, guiding our students through the cosmos of knowledge. Every day, they're preparing our young astronauts for their next giant leap, whether it's solving complex problems or reaching for the stars. Thank you for making learning an out-of-this-world adventure! #HCS #TeacherAppreciation #ToTheStars
Give Your Little Learner a Head Start!
Hawkins County Voluntary Pre-K (VPK) applications open soon! VPK helps students build the social and emotional skills needed to succeed in Kindergarten and beyond.
🗓️ Important Dates:
Applications Open: March 23, 2026
Final Deadline: June 26, 2026
✅ Eligibility:
Birthdays between August 16, 2021, and August 15, 2022.
Income qualifications apply for VPK (additional inclusive programs available for those who don't meet requirements).
Space is limited! Visit www.hck12.net to begin your application. 🌟
#HawkinsCountySchools #VPK #EarlyChildhood #HCSignite
District Announcement:
Hawkins County Schools is committed to creating a safe, welcoming environment for all students. That's why we are excited to provide BRIM, our new anti-bullying reporting software!
A huge thank you to the talented students in the Volunteer High School Audio Visual Production CTE Program for producing this fantastic video to show our students, guardians, and community exactly how BRIM works.
Watch the video below to learn how we can all work together to stop bullying in its tracks. You can also access the video at the HCS Civil Rights Compliance website at https://www.hck12.net/page/civilrightscompliance See something, say something!
https://youtu.be/nrwmBIZm3qA?si=N5mkco0zhRkLMpAZ
#HCSignite #StopBullying #BRIM #SeeSomethingSaySomething #VolunteerHighSchool #CommunitySafe
District Announcement: Safety first. As required by Tennessee state law and through our ongoing commitment to student safety, Hawkins County Schools will be showing age- appropriate firearm safety education videos to all students on Thursday, April 2.
We are proud to have partnered with the Hawkins County Sheriff’s Department to create these valuable resources. Parents and guardians, we encourage you to preview the videos ahead of time on our website!
Watch them here: https://www.hck12.net/page/firearm-safety
#HCSignite #StudentSafety
District Announcement: Online Kindergarten Registration for 26-27 is open!!! In-person registration at the school site will be May 1 and May 8 from 1pm to 3pm.
Progress towards readiness begins at birth and is influenced by families and friends, early care and education providers, and the community.
A ready child is prepared physically, emotionally, socially, and intellectually. This means that each child enters school ready to participate in and benefit from early learning experiences that best promote the child’s success so that they are eager and excited to learn.
If you have any questions, please contact the Elementary Supervisor, Hope Malone at 423.272.7629 EXT 2006
District Announcement:
The 1st Annual Hawkins County Nurse's Bowl is officially in the books!
We are so proud of the students from both Volunteer High School and Cherokee High School who competed. These future healthcare professionals showcased incredible poise, skills, and mastery of content through hands-on skills challenges, a terminology exam, and a competitive quiz bowl!
The best part of the day? Seeing the amazing camaraderie between the students. Instead of just competing, students from both schools meshed together beautifully, supporting one another and learning together throughout the event.
Congratulations to the Volunteer High School student participants and Mrs. Keri Helton for taking home the win at our inaugural event! To our phenomenal instructors—Eric, Angel, and Keri—thank you! It is so evident that you are pouring your passion for the nursing craft into our students. Thank you for everything you do to prepare them for the future and for your dedication to our Hawkins County community.
#HawkinsCountySchools #NursesBowl #FutureNurses #CTE #CommunityPride #HCSignite
