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Atascadero Unified board appoints Dr. Tom Bennett as superintendent, approves employment terms
Summary
The Atascadero Unified School District board voted unanimously to approve an employment agreement naming Dr. Tom Bennett superintendent effective July 1, 2025; the board reviewed compensation and benefits in open session per Government Code requirements.
The Atascadero Unified School District Board of Trustees on April 1 voted unanimously to approve an employment agreement appointing Dr. Tom Bennett as the district's next superintendent, effective July 1, 2025.
The vote followed a formal search process led by Leadership Associates and a public board discussion that included a required verbal report summarizing salary and benefits. Bill Banning, the search consultant from Leadership Associates, told the board the process included public listening sessions and an online survey that drew nearly 750 responses.
Dr. Bennett's contract calls for a base salary of $233,188, a 4 percent base-salary augmentation for possession of a doctorate, health and welfare benefits aligned with similarly situated employees, 12 days of sick leave, a district-provided cellular phone or phone plan and reimbursement of up to $5,000 for relocation expenses. The board read those terms in open session before taking final action, consistent with Government Code section 54953.
The board's approval was unanimous. The roll-call vote recorded yes votes from Trustee Arnold; Trustee Ellis White; Trustee Kosnick; Trustee Coonley; Trustee McGrew Kane; Trustee Pierce; and Trustee Taylor. The action was recorded as approved and the legal threshold for the contract's open-meeting report was met.
Bill Banning told the board that Dr. Bennett brings "strong leadership experience, a collaborative mindset, and a student-centered vision," and he commended the board's outreach and public-engagement steps during the search. The board also publicly thanked outgoing Superintendent Tom Butler for 10 years of service.
Dr. Bennett addressed the board after the vote and said he was "humbled and honored" and looks forward to joining the community. The district will mark the formal transition on July 1, 2025.
Votes at a glance: The board also approved routine items earlier in the meeting: the minutes from March 18 (approved by roll call), and the consent calendar items 11.1 through 11.5 (approved by roll call), which included acknowledgment of a $12,000 donation from the Atascadero Art Association to support fine arts programming.
The board's personnel decision follows the search and public comment phases; trustees and the search consultant emphasized that the process included community input and an executive-summary deliverable that is a public record.
