A substitute teacher working for the Chattooga County School System was arrested following an incident at Summerville Middle School.
Chattooga County Schools will operate on a two-hour delay today, Friday, August 21, due to a power outage affecting the Lyerly area.
The delay comes after thunderstorms moved through Northwest Georgia overnight, leaving multiple widespread power outages across Chattooga and Floyd counties.
Georgia Power is reporting numerous outages across the region this morning, with one of the largest outages affecting the Lyerly area.
The overnight storms brought heavy rain, lightning and gusty winds to portions of Northwest Georgia, resulting in power interruptions as residents began their Friday morning.
Because of the outage in Lyerly, Chattooga County School System officials made the decision to delay the start of school by two hours.
Parents, students and school employees should plan for school operations to begin two hours later than the normal Friday schedule.
Georgia Power crews are working to restore electricity to affected customers across Chattooga and Floyd counties.
Residents should use caution around any downed trees or power lines and should never approach or attempt to move a downed electrical line.
WZQZ News will continue to provide updates on the power outages and any additional schedule changes as information becomes available.
All Chattooga County Schools will dismiss students early on Thursday, August 27, and Friday, August 28, as preparations get underway for events surrounding the Chattooga County Fair.
Students across the school system will be released at 1:30 p.m. on both days. The adjusted schedule is intended to help clear traffic from the area around Summerville Middle School ahead of fair activities.
School officials say lunch will be served as usual before students are dismissed.
All scheduled after-school activities and programs will continue as planned, despite the early dismissal.
Parents and guardians who have questions about the schedule or need additional information should contact their child’s school.
The early release schedule applies to all Chattooga County Schools on Thursday, August 27, and Friday, August 28.
Students at Chattooga Mountain Education will enter a new phone-free learning environment beginning Monday, August 10, as the school implements the Yondr phone pouch system.
Chattooga High School marching band students are being reminded that band camp begins Monday, July 6, at 8 a.m.
Band students are urged to begin hydrating now and not wait until camp starts. Students may bring their own water jug or thermos, but should avoid soda, coffee and energy drinks. Water and Gatorade will also be available.
Students should dress for hot outdoor practice, including light-colored clothing appropriate for the practice field. Hoodies and dark clothing are discouraged because of the summer heat.
Lunch options include bringing lunch from home, having lunch delivered at 12:15 p.m., or eating what is provided by the band boosters or volunteers. Students will not be allowed to leave campus to get lunch.
Band leaders say students are expected to attend every day and stay for the full day unless they have already made arrangements for an absence.
Trion Athletics has announced plans for a new state-of-the-art weightroom, scheduled for completion in October 2026.
The new facility will serve male and female athletes across Trion’s athletic programs, as well as students taking weight training classes at Trion High School.
School leaders say the project is designed to give Trion students and student-athletes access to top-quality training resources. Trion Athletics also thanked the Superintendent, Board of Education, and Athletic Administration for helping make the project possible.
Officials say the investment reflects the school system’s continued commitment to ensuring Trion Bulldogs have the very best resources available.
Summerville Montessori School is now accepting applications for a limited number of free Georgia Pre-K openings for the 2026–2027 school year.
Both Chattooga High School and Trion High School have announced graduation ceremonies will be moved indoors because of the forecast for rain and thunderstorms Friday evening.
Chattooga High School officials say graduation has been moved to the school gymnasium to ensure the safety and comfort of attendees. Due to limited seating capacity, each graduate will receive seven tickets for admission. Tickets will be distributed Thursday morning following graduation practice. The ceremony will also be livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook for those unable to attend in person.
Meanwhile, Trion High School has also moved its Friday night graduation ceremony from the stadium to the THS Gymnasium. School officials say no tickets will be required for entry. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. ahead of the 8:00 p.m. ceremony.
Both school systems say the decisions were made after closely monitoring weather forecasts throughout the week.
Summerville Montessori School will celebrate its students with an end-of-year parade on Thursday, May 21, at 5 p.m.
The parade will begin at Chattooga High School, travel down Highway 114 to Highway 27, and continue to the school.
Family, friends, and community members are invited to come out and support the students and celebrate their achievements from the school year.
Any graduating seniors who previously attended Montessori are also invited to take part in the parade and serve as grand marshals in recognition of their graduation and accomplishments.
Chattooga High School has released its 2026-2027 Parent and Family Engagement Policy, School-Parent Compact, and plans for shared student achievement for the upcoming school year.