September 25, 2026
Friday Reflection: Our North Star
TCUSD Family,
As we close out another week, I keep coming back to something that has been on my mind a lot lately: our North Star. In education, there will always be something competing for our attention. Meetings. Emails. Deadlines. Budgets. Programs. Initiatives. The list never really ends. But our North Star has to remain the same: our kiddos. And if our kiddos are truly our North Star, then one of the best investments we can make is in the people who serve them every single day.
This week, I had the opportunity to learn alongside other superintendents. When the feedback came back, one of the biggest takeaways was not about a new program or some complicated strategy. It was the value of people learning from people. Leaders appreciated having honest conversations, sharing real challenges, reflecting together, and realizing they were not doing this work in a silo. That really hit home for me. Because we have that same opportunity right here at TCUSD.
We have talented people throughout this district. People who know our kiddos. People who know our community. People who have great ideas and years of experience are important. People doing things every day that the rest of us can learn from. Sometimes we get so busy looking for the next program, the next training, or the next outside answer that we forget to look across the hallway, across the campus, or across our own district. Outside expertise absolutely has its place. I believe in learning from anyone who can help us get better. But I also believe strongly that we need to invest in our own. Give our people opportunities to lead. Give them opportunities to share. Give them opportunities to learn from each other. And most importantly, trust them enough to grow. Because when we invest in our people, we are investing in our kiddos. That brings us right back to our North Star.
As you head into the weekend, I hope you take a minute to think about someone within TCUSD who has helped you get better. Maybe they shared an idea, answered a question, listened when you needed it, or simply showed you another way of doing something. That is how strong organizations are built. Not by one person having all the answers, but by people being willing to learn from one another. I’m learning and growing right alongside you. Let’s keep investing in each other. Let’s keep sharing what works. And let’s never lose sight of why we are doing it. Our kiddos.
Have a FANTASTIC Friday and WONDERFUL weekend, TCUSD!
Scott Nedrow
Superintendent
Tuba City Unified School District #15
#KidsComeFirst
