September 26, 2026
Raising Rural Voices: We Are Teachers of Humanity
Good afternoon, TCUSD Family,
As I wrap up my time at the Arizona Rural Schools Association “Raising Rural Voices” Conference, there is one message I have not been able to stop thinking about, and I wanted to share it with all of you. Lisa Scott, Arizona Teacher of the Year, said something that really hit home for me:
“We are not just teachers of content, we are teachers of humanity.”
Think about that for a minute. We are teachers of resilience. We are teachers of lifelong learning. We are teachers of how to be good humans. We are teachers of how to recognize our own value. And when I say “teachers,” I am not only talking about the incredible educators standing in our classrooms. I am talking about all of us.
Our bus drivers teach kiddos with the way they greet them in the morning. Our food service staff teach kiddos through kindness and care. Our custodians teach pride and responsibility in the way they care for our schools. Our secretaries and office staff teach patience, compassion, and how we treat people. Our paraprofessionals teach perseverance and provide encouragement when learning gets difficult. Our security staff teaches what it means to keep others safe and cared for. Our coaches teach discipline, teamwork, resilience, and how to get back up when things do not go your way. Our teachers and principals teach kiddos every day that someone believes in what they can become. Every single one of us has an opportunity to teach humanity. That is powerful.
Dr. Greg Wyman, Executive Director of the Arizona Rural Schools Association, also spoke about the challenges and incredible opportunities that exist in rural education. Throughout the conference, I kept thinking about Tuba City. Being rural does not define what is possible for our kiddos. Our community is a strength. Our culture is a strength. Our relationships are a strength. Our identity is a strength. And our people are our greatest strength.
The breakout sessions I attended covered partnerships, teacher housing, recruitment and retention, and the realities of leading and serving in rural communities. While the topics were different, I kept coming back to the same thought:
We have to invest in our own. That does not mean we stop learning from others or bringing in outside expertise when it can help us. It means that when we do, the goal should always be to make our own people stronger. There is tremendous knowledge, talent, experience, and potential already within TCUSD. Sometimes our job is simply to recognize it, invest in it, and give people the opportunity to grow.
Another message from the conference described rural leadership through five words:
Heart. Humor. Hands. Hope. Head. Those words stuck with me too. Bring your heart to the work because relationships matter. Keep your humor because we cannot lose the joy in what we do. Use your hands because sometimes the best thing we can do is roll up our sleeves and help. Hold onto hope because our kiddos need adults who believe in what is possible for them. And use your head because our kiddos deserve our very best thinking and decision making.
But of everything I heard, I keep coming back to those words:
We are teachers of humanity. Years from now, a kiddo may not remember every lesson, every assignment, every score, or every standard. But they may remember the adult who knew their name. The person who noticed when something was wrong. The person who pushed them when they wanted to quit. The person who celebrated them. The person who gave them another chance. The person who helped them recognize their own value. That person could be any one of us. That is why every role in this district matters.
We have so much opportunity in front of us, and it starts with our people and our kiddos. Our kiddos need knowledge, but they also need hope. They need skills, but they also need confidence. Most of all, they need people who believe in them.
I came away from this conference reminded that moving TCUSD forward is about becoming the very best version of who we already are. Invest in our people. Believe in one another. Learn from one another. And never underestimate the difference you can make simply by how you show up for a kiddo each day. Thank you for what you do and for the heart you bring to TCUSD. Our kiddos are our North Star.
Enjoy your Saturday afternoon and the rest of this WONDERFUL weekend. Lots of good college football to watch today. Appreciate you!
Stronger Together,
Scott Nedrow
Superintendent
Tuba City Unified School District #15
#KidsComeFirst
