November 4, 2022
By: Dwayne Page
DeKalb County High School continued its monthly observance Thursday of recognizing a teacher, student, and parents or guardians of the month.
Each received a certificate from the school and a gift card for a meal from the Soda Fountain of F.Z. Webb & Sons Pharmacy. A different restaurant offers a meal gift card to each month’s honorees.
Teacher and Assistant Golf Coach Luke Dycus, who has spent 28 years as an educator including the last three years at DCHS, was selected by the administration as Teacher of the Month while 17-year-old Senior Isaac Sasser is Student of the Month, voted on by the teachers. Parents of the month are Doug and Richelle Hendrixson, and this honor was based on a winning essay written by their daughter Hailey Hendrixson, a 17-year-old Senior at DCHS.
DCHS Assistant Principal Thomas Cagle said Dycus is a gifted and versatile educator and well deserving of the Teacher of the Month Award.
“Coach Dycus is one who can do and has done a little bit of everything here from extra bus duty and working extra gates at ballgames to standing in as a game administrator at some soccer games for us. He is an absolute outstanding asset to our school. Luke helps so much with our PBS program. He is also a big asset with our CDC classroom and helps with some of those students who need his guidance in different ways. We are very glad to have him,” said Cagle.
“This is the first time I have ever received something like this in my 28 years of teaching, so I was surprised and shocked but very thankful,” said Dycus.
“I moved here three years ago and from the day I stepped on campus I felt that warm, welcome environment. People accepted me and I feel like I have family here even though I am not from here. I have thoroughly enjoyed being here”.
Originally from White County, Dycus’ teaching career over the span of almost 30 years has taken him several places.
“I graduated from Tennessee Tech with a master’s degree and also got my undergraduate degree from there as well. I am originally from White County. I lived and taught there for a number of years. I also taught in two other states, Alabama and Georgia for a few years. I came back to the middle Tennessee area because my dad was the principal in White County for a number of years and my mother worked in White and Putnam County, so I wanted to be close to them. I came back and started teaching in White County and had a good time there but after my son graduated from White County in 2020, I decided I needed a change of scenery and thought I would come here so I did and I have been happy ever since,” he said.
“I am currently the assistant golf coach here at DCHS and then I run the positive behavior support program for our school. I get a lot more out of that than my students get out of me. I get a lot from them. Our administration here has been wonderful to me, and our central office staff has been great. I am so happy to be here and so thankful to be in an environment working with people like this,” said Dycus.
It was third time’s charm for Isaac Sasser, who was named “Student of the Month” at DCHS after being nominated twice before.
Cagle said Sasser, son of Trey and Savanna Dodds, is among the best of the best students at DCHS.
“Isaac is a senior and member of our Fighting Tiger Band. He is an excellent student and has a positive attitude every day. He is always willing to help in any way he can. Isaac was nominated by a teacher and an administrator a couple of times before and this month was elected by all the other teachers in the school. He goes above and beyond every day in what we ask and expect of our students, and he really shows what it means to be a DCHS Tiger,” said Assistant Principal Cagle.
“It completely caught me by surprise, but I am honored,” said Sasser when asked how he felt about being named “Student of the Month”.
Isaac is co-captain and keyboard percussionist in the DCHS Fighting Tiger Band. During his two years with the band, he has played piano, vibes, marimba, chimes, 1st/3rd bass drum, and cowbell.
“I initially wanted to play piano but grew to love all the percussion instruments,” Sasser said. “I love playing music, especially in sync with the band.
Sasser says one of the more challenging aspects of being a band member “had to be getting the music down as I had very little experience with music.”
He would like to continue playing music in the future, perhaps at Tennessee Tech where Sasser plans to further his education after completing two-years at Motlow State.
In the classroom at DCHS, Sasser said his favorite academic subject is science.
Although they could not be on hand to receive the honor, the “Parents of the Month” Doug and Richelle Hendrixson are no doubt touched by the stirring essay from their daughter Hailey written in tribute to them.
Hailey said this essay was a way of expressing love and appreciation for her parents who have been a source of strength for a family going through adversity dealing with her brother’s cancer diagnosis.
“I didn’t do it (essay) just for the award. It was for both my mom and dad in going through all the bad things happening right now with my brother Douglas who is almost 21 years old and in treatment for cancer. Because of my parents, we are all staying positive and getting through it together becoming stronger as a family. I am really proud of my parents. They are always there for me, and I love them. I don’t know what I would do without them,” she said.
In addition to her brother, Hailey has a twin sister, Emily.
After high school, Hailey said her ambition is to become a country music star. Her favorite country performers are Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood.
“Hailey’s essay was excellent,” said Cagle. Its one of those that really reaches you and addresses all the things her parents are doing at home to help her through challenges that we may not always know about,” added Cagle.