It’s with deep gratitude and pride that I stand before you today as the Chair of the Salt River Schools Education Board. This moment marks not only the start of a new school year, but it’s our renewed commitment to walk together, side by side, in service of our students, our Community, and our district culture.
Over the past year, the Board has taken meaningful steps to be more than just a governing body. We strive to reflect our Community’s heart—a heart that beats with the values of the O’odham and Piipaash people: Respect, resilience, connection, and tradition.
Our district vision is clear: Community empowerment through culture, engagement, academic achievement, and excellence. And each of you—educators, support staff, leaders—embody that vision every single day. Whether you're nurturing young minds in the classroom, keeping the campuses safe, or ensuring every student has what they need to thrive, your work empowers not just individuals, but generations. The seeds you’ve planted are bearing fruit in extraordinary ways.
For those who have walked this path with Salt River Schools over many years, you’ve witnessed something truly remarkable: Former students returning, not just as graduates, but as parents who entrust their own children to the place that shaped them. That is legacy. That is Community.
That is impact.
This is the power of education rooted in culture, compassion, and connection. Thank you for being part of a journey that grows stronger with each passing year.
You are more than educators. You are culture keepers. You are mentors, advocates, and an example of education excellence. It makes my heart happy to know that while some of you are not O’odham or Piipaash you have made the connection to the spirit of our Himdag. You have learned the language, participated in Community functions, you have made Salt River home. In your interactions, we see the spirit of our ancestors: Strong, thoughtful, and determined. In your dedication, we see the promise to the Community's children to be hopeful, resilient, and full of possibility.
This year’s theme, An aMAZE-ing Academic Adventure, reflects on the Man in the Maze and its depiction of one’s journey through life, including the search for balance and achieving one’s goals. My promise to you, we will stand together, not just in the triumphs, but in the trials. In the highs and lows of life, we remain united educators, families, leaders, and Community members. This is what makes Salt River Schools not just a district, but a shared journey. Because through every challenge, our culture holds us. And in every celebration, our collective spirit rises.
As we begin this school year, let us embrace our collective strength and the shared hope of making Salt River Schools not just a school of choice, but a beacon of excellence. A place where exemplary education thrives in a safe, nurturing environment. A place deeply immersed in the O’odham and Piipaash cultures, honoring the past while preparing our students for a successful future.
Let us lead with love, learn with curiosity, and lift every child toward their highest potential. Through trauma-informed practices and cultural understanding, we create learning spaces that heal, inspire, and empower. Together, we stand with courage and commitment—shoulder to shoulder in this journey of transformation.
Together, we honor where we’ve come from—our roots of our individual cultures, our interconnected stories, our shared strengths. And together, we boldly shape where we’re going—toward a future of excellence, empowerment, and possibility.
Thank you for your commitment. Thank you for your courage. Thank you for the work you do each day in the service of the children, families, and the Community.
And most of all: Thank you to those families who have made Salt River Schools their school of choice. You are what makes this journey matter. You are what makes it extraordinary.
May God, your Creator, and your never-ending sense of adventure continue to bless you.
Dai Hugai
Kyland King
Education Board Chair
Salt River Schools