Looking Ahead: Building Our Future Together

By Dr. Tom Bennett, Superintendent, Atascadero Unified School District · Mon Aug 10 2026

On behalf of the Atascadero Unified School District Board of Trustees and our dedicated staff, it is my pleasure to welcome our students, families, and community to the 2026–27 school year! Whether your family has been part of our district for generations, you are joining us for the first time, or you are a community member who supports our schools, thank you for being part of Atascadero Unified.

As I begin my second year as superintendent, I remain deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve this district and community. Over the past year, I have visited schools, met with employees, listened to students and families, connected with community partners, and learned more about what makes Atascadero such a special place. It was intentionally a year of listening, learning, building relationships, and collecting data. These experiences have helped me better understand our district’s many strengths and the opportunities before us.

Some of my favorite memories from the past year came from opportunities to spend time with our students, teachers, and staff in classrooms and throughout the community. Whether I was reading with students, participating in promotion and graduation ceremonies, or watching our students perform, compete, create, and lead, these experiences allowed me to see firsthand the outstanding work being done across our district by our teachers, staff, and administrators. We are all incredibly proud of Atascadero’s students, and they must remain at the heart of every decision we make.

It has also become abundantly clear that Atascadero Unified has an amazing group of teachers, administrators, support staff, parents, and community partners. Our employees care deeply about students and work hard every day to help them succeed. Our families are invested in their schools, and our community consistently demonstrates its commitment to public education. I am proud to serve alongside my colleagues in Atascadero Unified, and I am excited for us to roll up our sleeves, build on our strengths, and pursue the opportunities ahead together.

We are fortunate to have a strong and dedicated Board of Trustees. Board service requires considerable time, preparation, thoughtful decision-making, and a willingness to address complex issues on behalf of the entire community. I am grateful for the hard work of our trustees during the past year and for their continued commitment to our students, staff, schools, and district. Their leadership will be especially important as we take the next steps in shaping our future.

We begin this year by welcoming two new members to our district leadership team: Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Dr. Benita Scheckel and Director Jessica Lloyd. Both bring valuable experience, fresh perspectives, and a strong commitment to serving students and supporting staff. We are excited to have them join our team and look forward to their contributions throughout our district.

One of our most important priorities this year will be developing a comprehensive Strategic Plan to guide Atascadero Unified over the coming years. Last year’s surveys, conversations, school visits, and data collection provided an important foundation. We are now ready to bring people together to consider what we have learned, identify a shared vision for the future, and develop clear goals and initiatives to move our district forward.

Our Strategic Planning Task Force will include more than 30 representatives from across our district and community. The team will bring together trustees, district and site administrators, teachers and other certificated employees, classified and clerical staff, parents, students, and community partners. This broad representation is essential because the future of our schools should be shaped by the people who learn, work, serve, and live in our community. Together, we will examine our data, recognize what is working well, address areas for growth, and establish priorities for the years ahead.

We will also continue making progress on the improvement and modernization of our learning environments. Thanks to the generous support of our community and the passage of the School Facilities Bond Measure, planning continues to advance, and the scope and sequence of projects are becoming clearer. This work represents a significant investment in our students and in the future of Atascadero. We remain committed to responsible stewardship, clear communication, and creating learning environments that will serve our community for many years.

As we prepare for the new school year, I want to express my sincere appreciation to all of our teachers, administrators, and support staff. Their work, often extending far beyond what others see, allows us to serve our students and families each day. I am grateful for their dedication, professionalism, and care, and equally grateful to our families and community for their continued partnership and support.

School begins August 12. I look forward to welcoming everyone back and to another year of learning, collaboration, and meaningful progress in Atascadero Unified School District.