AUSD ends school year, says goodbye to E.J. Rossi

By Mike Chaldu · Thu Jun 18 2026

School board also approves budget for 2026-27 school year and contracts for for future campus projects

ATASCADERO — The Atascadero Unified School District School Board wrapped up its school year with its regular meeting on Tuesday afternoon, June 9, by taking care of some loose administrative ends like a new budget, contracts for future school improvement projects, and updated job descriptions.

However, the last part of the meeting was a chance for the board members and district officials to say farewell to Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services E.J. Rossi, a longtime fixture in the district. He announced earlier this year he would step down at the end of the 2026-27 session; he plans to move to Idaho to be nearer family, including a newborn grandson.

Rossi came to AUSD in 2007, when he was named vice principal at Atascadero High, and was promoted to principal in 2008. He became the district's assistant superintendent for educational services in 2015, a position he held until his departure.

Rossi's 19-year tenure at AUSD was not without controversy — in 2025, it looked like the board was about to name him as district superintendent, but allegations he faced in a position previous to AUSD and opposition from some AUSD parents and employees caused the board to reopen the search, which resulted in the hire of current Superintendent Dr. Tom Bennett.

However, on June 9, Rossi got nothing but praise and good wishes from the board members and fellow administrators as each recounted their favorite memories of working with Rossi.

Among board members, Jodi Taylor and Joey Arnold told of how Rossi helped them and was available for any questions as the newcomers began their terms on the board.

Board President Denise McGrew-Kane was another who said Rossi's friendliness put here at ease when she started on the board.

"You were patient, you made transition so much easier," she said to Rossi. "The passion you would exude, you would feel it wherever you go."

Tracy Ellis-Weit talked about how Rossi got to know everyone in his "high-school family," and also people in her own family, who passed along well wishes. Vy Pierce thanked Rossi for being a valuable "utility player" for the district, and Corinne Kuhnle joked about how, when he first approached her on campus as assistant principal, she thought Rossi was one of the seniors.

But Kendyl Darnell, assistant superintendent for business services, had the most touching story. She said she had gotten hired by AUSD in 2023, just a couple weeks before school was to start. She was having trouble finding a place to live and had her family three hours away, and was beginning to wonder if she had made the right move.

"The night before the first staff meeting, the power went out at my hotel and I was upset, I'd felt I made a terrible mistake," Darnell said. "I went to a nearby Starbucks, and wouldn't you know E.J. was there. He recognized me and said 'I'm so excited you’re here,' and remembered things about my family."

"After the meeting the next day went well," Darnell continued as she started to choke up with emotion. "I started thinking 'everything will be OK'"

Bennett wrapped up the discussion joking about how he's "angry that all that testosterone is leaving" with Rossi's departure and touched upon the two's shared fondness for whiteboards, which they liked to use to discuss topics and find solutions.

"You have a heart and passion for this place, and it comes out of every pore of your body," Bennett said.

"You care deeply about the kids. I liked [Pierce's] line about the utility player, you’re every bit of that."

Rossi thanked the board and expressed how much he valued his time at AUSD.

"My time in this district has been such a blessing, with amazing relationships and a lot of collective successes," he said. "I'm excited for the new adventure coming up, but I will miss this AUSD family."

Before Rossi's sendoff, the board took care of a number of items, establishing documents for the next school year.

The board members approved the 2026-27 budget, which had been discussed at the previous meeting on June 2. The California School Dashboard and Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP), presented by Rossi, was also approved.

On the business side, the board approved a management contract from the Kitchell Company for management of the upcoming Measure B-24 improvement projects. Also passed were contract for architectural firms PBK (for the Santa Rosa Academy Modernization Project), Omni Design (for Atascadero Middle School improvements in the gym/locker room facilities), and KBZ (For improvements to the school kitchen, which is slated to serve as AHS's kitchen, while a new one is built on the AHS campus next year).

In the Human Resources department, updated job descriptions for Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) Attendance Recovery/Teacher Induction Program (TIP) Intern Support Provider and Lead School Psychologist / Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) were approved, as well as additions to the employment agreements for Bennett, Darnell, and Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Renee Argain.

The board will take the summer break off, save for a board retreat on July 28, but will return for its first regular meeting of the new school year on Aug. 4, with open session starting at 7 p.m.