October 8, 2026
National Be a Teacher Day, National Heroes' Day - October 8th
Good morning, TCUSD Family!
First off, how about our Lady Warriors last night! What a great win over Monument Valley! Our girls battled through five sets and came away with a huge victory! I want to congratulate our volleyball players and coaches on a great team effort. I love seeing our students compete, support one another, and find ways to finish strong. That's Warrior Pride right there! Keep it rolling, ladies!
And how about our cross-country runners at yesterday's Bud Davis Invitational right here in Tuba City! Our Boys Varsity team took FIRST PLACE with an incredible team score of just 19 points! Are you kidding me! That is absolutely outstanding! For those who may not follow cross-country, the lower the score (like golf), the better, and 19 points is a pretty impressive statement about how well our runners competed as a TEAM! I also want to give a big shoutout to our Girls Cross-Country team! I had the opportunity to watch our runners compete yesterday, and I loved seeing the effort, determination, and toughness they brought to the course. Cross-country is not an easy sport. It takes discipline, mental toughness, and a willingness to push yourself when everything in you wants to slow down. I always tell runners to finish on empty, and I love seeing our students give everything they have! Congratulations to all of our runners and coaches! I also want to thank everyone who helped organize and host the meet. There is a lot of work that goes into an event like this, and I appreciate the people who stepped up to make it happen.
And while we are celebrating, I want to make sure we recognize ALL of our Warriors who are out there representing TCUSD. From football and volleyball to cross-country, cheer, chess, and all of our other athletic teams, activities, and programs across the district, I appreciate the work our students and coaches are putting in. I know we have teams competing, practicing, traveling, and working hard every day, and I don't want those efforts to go unnoticed. Winning is exciting, and we should absolutely celebrate those moments, but I also believe there is a lot to be proud of in the effort, growth, teamwork, and commitment our students demonstrate along the way.
It's not always about what shows up on the scoreboard. It's about how we compete, how we grow, how we treat one another, and how we represent our schools and community.
Keep working, Warriors! I am proud of you! And speaking of people making a difference, I wanted to share something else with you this morning. Today, October 8th, 2026, we recognize both National Be a Teacher Day and National Heroes' Day. When I started thinking about these two days, I couldn't help but think about the people we have right here in our district. We have heroes walking our hallways every single day!
I'm talking about the teacher who stays a little longer to help a student who is struggling. The paraprofessional who gives that extra encouragement. The bus driver who greets students with a smile every morning. The custodian who takes pride in making sure our schools are ready. The cafeteria worker who makes sure our students have a meal. The secretary who somehow keeps everything moving. Our coaches who invest countless hours in our student athletes. And all the people behind the scenes who do their part to make a difference.
Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear school badges, carry lesson plans, drive buses, serve meals, coach teams, and simply show up every day because they care about students.
You know, when we think about heroes, we often think about our military, first responders, firefighters, and law enforcement, and rightfully so. But I also believe we have everyday heroes all around us. Sometimes it's the person who notices a student having a tough day, the coworker who steps up to help without being asked, or the teacher who refuses to give up on a student. We never really know what someone else is going through, and sometimes the smallest act of kindness can make the biggest difference.
You don't have to change the whole world to be somebody's hero. Sometimes you just have to change their world.
So today, I encourage you to think about someone who has been a hero in your life and maybe take a minute to thank them. And more importantly, think about whose life you might be making better just by showing up and caring. As many of you know, I started my career as a teacher and coach, and some of my greatest memories in education came from those years. Not because of a test score or something I accomplished, but because of the relationships and the opportunity to make a difference in someone's life. I think we sometimes forget just how much influence we have. Somewhere in one of our classrooms today could be a future teacher, coach, principal, or superintendent. And maybe all that student needs is someone to believe in them and tell them they can do it. How cool would it be if that inspiration came from one of us?
I've talked quite a bit about the importance of investing in our own people, and I truly believe we have future educators sitting in our classrooms right now. I would love nothing more than to see our students graduate, pursue their dreams, and someday come back home to teach the next generation of Warriors. That's how we build something special that lasts!
So today, I want to encourage everyone to do two things. First, take a minute to thank someone who has made a difference in your life or in the lives of our students. It doesn't have to be anything big. Sometimes a simple thank you means more than we realize. Second, if you have an opportunity, share your story with a student. Tell them why you chose education or who inspired you along the way. You never know when a simple conversation might change the direction of someone's life. And to our entire TCUSD family, I want you to know how much I appreciate you. I know we have challenges, and I know there are days when this work is hard. But I also know we have some incredible people doing incredible things for students every day.
You may never know the full impact you have on a student, but that doesn't mean you aren't making one.
That's what makes this work so important. Let's keep lifting each other up, investing in our own, celebrating our students, and remembering why we do what we do. Our students are watching, our students are learning, and our students are counting on us! Thank you for being somebody's hero, even when you don't realize it. Once a Warrior, Always a Warrior!
Stronger Together,
Scott Nedrow
Superintendent
Tuba City Unified School District #15
#KidsComeFirst
