DeKalb County students and teachers will return to the classroom in a little more than a month.

Registration will be Wednesday, August 1 with the first full day of school scheduled for Thursday, August 2.

(CLICK LINK BELOW TO VIEW 2018-19 SCHOOL CALENDAR)

2018-19 SCHOOL CALENDAR

The Annual First Day of School Education Celebration for DeKalb County will be held on Friday, July 27 starting at 6:00 p.m. downtown around the courthouse square

Teachers will return for a system-wide in-service day on Thursday, July 26 and they will report to their individual schools on Friday and Monday, July 27 & 30. Tuesday, July 31 is an administrative day for teachers only.

The major difference in this school calendar from last year is that students and teachers will once again have a two week fall break in October and three days off for Thanksgiving in November. Last year, the fall break was for only one week but schools were closed a full week for Thanksgiving.

The rest of the 2018-19 school calendar is as follows:

Schools will be closed for Labor Day on Monday, September 3; for fall break October 8-19; for Thanksgiving November 21, 22, & 23; for Christmas and New Year December 21 to January 3; for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 21; for President’s Day on Monday, February 18; for spring break March 25-29; and for Good Friday, April 19.

Thursday, December 20 will be an abbreviated day for students and teachers.

A stockpile day for teachers will be Friday, January 4. Students will return to school after the Christmas and New Year holidays on Monday, January 7.

The last day of school for the year will be Friday, May 24. Thursday, May 23 will be an administrative day for teachers. Students will not attend.

Parent-Teacher Conferences at DeKalb County High School will be Tuesday, October 23 and Tuesday, March 19 from 3-6 p.m. each day.

Parent-Teacher Conferences at DeKalb West School, DeKalb Middle School, Northside Elementary School, and Smithville Elementary School will be Thursday, October 4 and Thursday, March 14 from 3-6 p.m. each day.

Report cards will be sent home for K-8 students on Thursday, October 4 and Thursday, March 14 and for DCHS students on Tuesday, October 23 and Tuesday, March 19. Report cards will be sent home from all schools on Tuesday, January 8 and Friday, May 24.

The University of Tennessee Athletics Department and The Vol Network are hosting a Tribute to “The Voice” event honoring John Ward on Wednesday, June 27, starting at 6 p.m. ET (5 p.m. CT) at Thompson-Boling Arena.

WJLE, a VOL NETWORK affiliate, will broadcast the tribute LIVE on AM 1480/FM 101.7 and LIVE STREAMING at www.wjle.com.

The legendary broadcasting and marketing icon passed away last week following a lengthy illness. He was 88.

Wednesday’s event will take on a celebratory tone and is intended as a way for Ward’s friends and Tennessee fans to honor the incredible impact that he made on generations of Big Orange faithful during a rousing, Hall of Fame career behind the microphone that exceeded 30 years.

Storytelling will be the theme of the night, with several notable UT personalities, VFLs and those who knew him best are expected to share their memories and personal stories about Ward. The event also will be highlighted by multiple never-before-seen (or heard) video and audio clips from throughout Ward’s career.

Free parking will be available in the G10 and G16 garages. And after 5 p.m. ET, fans also will have access to free parking in administrative garages G3 and G5.

Attendees will have access to the arena beginning at 5 p.m. ET via gates B, C, D and E. Traditional gameday ADA entrances will be open (the basketball lobby and Arena Dining entrances on Phillip Fulmer Way).

Public seating will be general admission, and all bags may be subject to search upon entry.

Griffin’s Produce and Garden Center is one of Smithville’s oldest family-owned businesses.

For 45 years, the roadside fruit stand on West Broad Street owned by the Fletcher Griffin family has served the community with fresh home grown produce and other products. But changes are coming. The owners, Jennifer and Joe Mitchell, have decided to go out of business and retire once they sell the property, which is now listed for sale consisting of an acre, the fruit stand, and two houses.

“Although our business is still excellent we feel like we’re getting to the point that we are ready to retire and take a different direction. We hate to do it really but we feel like it’s time to pass it on to someone else. But we will remain open until we sell,” said Jennifer.

Fletcher and Evelyn Griffin, Jennifer’s parents, purchased the property and started the business in February, 1973. Another family had run a fruit stand at that location prior to the Griffins’ purchase of it.

“My father had passed by and just happened to see a for sale sign. He stopped and bought it from Glenn Nichols. I was nine years old at the time,” said Jennifer.

Mitchell grew up around the business and took over the operation when her father passed away in March, 2003. “He loved it. He had rather have been here than anywhere on earth. This was his happy place. My mother also passed away a year and a half ago,” said Jennifer.

Three years ago, Jennifer and her cousin Waylonette Trout opened a boutique behind the fruit stand called “Just a Little Southern Charm”.

While she and her husband Joe are looking forward to retirement, Jennifer said they will miss their loyal customers and employees who have become like family to them.

“A big thank you goes to our employees. We have been fortunate to have good people working for us like Judy Wright who has been here for 25 years and Michael Saylors who has put in more than 15 years as well as long time former employees James Owens and Joe Jones,” Jennifer continued.

Mitchell said she is hopeful that the next owner will continue the same type business . “I would love for someone to buy it and run it as a produce market,” she concluded.

Joe and Jennifer have one grown daughter, Kalli Mitchell and a grandson, Caleb Hood.