AUSD board opens school year with brief meeting

By Michael Chaldu · Thu Aug 06 2026

New assistant superintendent, director of educational services welcomed as district prepares for start of classes

ATASCADERO — After a short summer break, the Atascadero Unified School District Board of Trustees reconvened for its regular meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 4, the first of the 2026-27 school year.

The meeting was a short one, lasting less than 30 minutes, but it did give a chance for board members to welcome two new members of the AUSD administration.

Superintendent Dr. Thomas Bennett, who is starting his second year heading the district, welcomed all the trustees and administrators back in his Superintendent's Report, but especially Dr. Benita Scheckel, who assumed her duties as assistant superintendent for educational services on July 1, and Jessica Lloyd, who became the district's director of educational services on the same date.

Scheckel addressed the board and talked about her experience in her first few days on the job.

"It’s been five weeks since I’ve started at AUSD, and it has been an incredible experience so far," she said. "Meeting with principals, teachers, and staff, looking at data, analyzing data, getting to know our labor partners, I'm just blown away by this community."

Scheckel came to the district from the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District in Los Angeles County, where she was district administrator of career technical education and visual and performing arts. She replace EJ Rossi, who retired from the position at the end of last school year.

Scheckel talked about some of her experiences so far getting acquainted with the Atascadero community, citing one particular example.

"I went to Chipotle with [fellow district administrators] Veronica [Luna] and Renee [Argain], and the young boy at the counter so kind and friendly — I asked about a new sauce, and he gave it to me and said 'I'd like you to taste this!,'" she recalled. "With that, I thought 'This is what Atascadero is like,' and it’s not like that from whence I came."

Scheckel then introduced Lloyd, whom she will be working closely with in educational services and called her "sister from another mister."

"I'm so honored and grateful to be able to walk alongside our director of educational services," Scheckel said.

Lloyd is actually very familiar to the district: Her previous position was principal at Templeton High, but before that she served eight years as Atascadero Middle School principal.

"Thank you to Dr. Scheckel and her team, and those who have warmly welcomed me back," Lloyd said. "I have such great respect for our people here, which is why I returned from a neighboring district — to be able to return in this role and serve alongside our people."

Lloyd laid out what her priorites were in her new position.

"I'm here to serve our people, principals, and sites, and a layer between our sites and the administration," she said. "I cannot wait to open these schools, can’t wait to see our students back on campus, and return to the district that raised me."

During the subsequent Board Members' Reports, Trustee Corinne Kuhnle joked with Lloyd about her returning from another district, telling her to remember a mutual past colleague's favorite saying that "We're Atascadero and they're not!"

The board had only two Human Resources items up for vote on the agenda: A new job description for the district's lead school psychologist with adjustment of responsibilities "more defined for role district is needing," according to Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources Renee Argain; and a Memorandum of Understanding between the district and the Atascadero District Teachers Association (ADTA) concerning early release Fridays, job shares, and music schedules. Both items passed unanimously.

Finally, Atascadero High Athletic Director Sam Spears addressed the board to tell them that the school's fall sports teams are getting ready for the upcoming season, and that he is planning a fall sports kickoff dinner at the Blast and Brew, in which the restaurant will close to the public so the district can get acquainted with the teams at AHS.

The dinner will be Wednesday, Aug. 19, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Blast and Brew, located at 7935 San Luis Ave. in Atascadero. Admission is free, but a reservation is required through my805tix.com/e/atascadero-high-school-fall-sports-kickoff-dinner/tickets.

"We want to do this for every season, to let the community get to know coaches and athletes," Spears said. "It's a great way to promote our product and get closer to the community."

The AD also said he intends to come and address the board monthly to keep them up to date on the happenings of the various Greyhound teams.

With that, Board President Denise McGrew-Kane announced that the next board meeting will be Tuesday, Aug. 18, with closed session starting at 5:30 p.m., and open session at 7 p.m. Classes for all AUSD schools will begin on Wednesday, Aug. 12.