September 17, 2026
Introducing the Heart of the Warrior: Celebrating Our People
Good morning, TCUSD Family,
I want to share something with all of you that I’m really excited about. Beginning with our October Board Meeting, we are launching a new monthly recognition across TCUSD called the Heart of the Warrior.
The idea for this really came from listening. Through SUP with the Supt., campus and department visits, emails, conversations, and feedback from many of you, one thing has continued to stand out to me. We need to do an even better job of recognizing our people. And I completely agree. Every single day across TCUSD, people are doing incredible things that many of us will never see. It’s the teacher who stays a little longer because a student needs help. It’s the paraprofessional who finds a way to connect with a child having a difficult day. It’s the custodian who notices something that needs to be done and takes care of it without being asked. It’s the bus driver who makes sure our kids start and end their day feeling safe and cared for. It’s the cafeteria worker who knows our students by name and gives them a little extra encouragement. It’s the secretary who helps a frustrated parent with patience and kindness. It’s the maintenance employee who goes the extra mile to solve a problem. It’s the coworker who notices someone struggling and simply says, “I’ve got you.”
Those moments matter. That is the Heart of the Warrior. Heart of the Warrior isn't simply an “Employee of the Month.” I want this to mean something. It is about recognizing the people who demonstrate through their actions what we want TCUSD to be, people who put kids first, serve others, bring a positive attitude, solve problems, demonstrate kindness, support their teammates, provide great service, and make their school, department, or workplace better because they are there.
Here is how it will work:
Beginning in October, each TCUSD school and each district department will recognize one Heart of the Warrior every month. That means this isn't one person representing the entire district. We want to recognize people throughout TCUSD because great work is happening everywhere, in our classrooms, offices, cafeterias, buses, maintenance shops, departments, and throughout our schools.
Most importantly, I don't want this to become something where we simply submit a name. I want the WHY.
Why is this person the Heart of the Warrior?
What did they do?
How did they help a student?
How did they support another employee?
How did they demonstrate #KidsComeFirst?
How did they make their school or department better?
How did they demonstrate what it means to be One Team and Stronger Together?
That story is what matters. Each month, our schools and departments will identify their Heart of the Warrior and provide a short explanation of why that individual was selected. We will recognize our recipients and share those stories as part of our monthly Board Meeting, so our Board, district, families, and community can see some of the incredible people behind the work happening across TCUSD.
And I want this recognition to represent everyone. Certified staff. Classified staff. Teachers. Paraprofessionals. Secretaries. Custodians. Food Services. Transportation. Maintenance. Security. Technology. The District Office. Administrators. Support staff. Every employee plays a role in taking care of our kids. Sometimes the person making the biggest difference isn't the person standing in front of the room. Sometimes it's the person quietly doing the right thing every single day when nobody is watching. Those are stories worth telling.
I also want our principals and department leaders to make the recognition personal. When you select your Heart of the Warrior, tell us specifically what that person did and why it mattered. This should never become something we check off a list each month. I want people to feel proud when they receive this recognition because they know it represents something meaningful.
There is another reason this matters to me. Culture isn't something a superintendent, principal, or department leader can create alone. Culture is all of us. It's how we treat people. It's whether we help instead of walking past a problem. It's how we talk to our students, families, and coworkers. It's whether we choose positivity when things get difficult. It's whether we recognize somebody else doing great work instead of worrying about who gets the credit. And it's whether the people around us know that what they do matters.
I want TCUSD to be a place where people feel seen, valued, supported, and appreciated. Will an award accomplish all of that by itself? Of course not. But recognizing the good happening around us is a pretty great place to start.
So, beginning in October, every month, in every school and every department, we are going to look for the Heart of the Warrior. Look for the person who goes the extra mile. Look for the person who lifts others up. Look for the person who puts kids first. Look for the person who brings solutions. Look for the person who demonstrates kindness when nobody is asking them to. Look for the person who makes TCUSD better simply because of how they show up every day. And when you see them, tell their story. We have some amazing people working throughout this district. It’s time for us to get better at celebrating them.
More information on the monthly submission process and timelines will be provided to our Principals and District department leaders as we prepare for our first Heart of the Warrior recognitions at the October Board Meeting. Thank you for what you do every single day for our kids and for each other. Keep doing the little things. Keep looking for the good. And keep taking care of one another. That is the Heart of the Warrior.
Stronger Together,
Scott Nedrow
Superintendent
Tuba City Unified School District #15
#KidsComeFirst
