April 26, 2024

Dear Atascadero USD Community,

As we approach the opening of the new Atascadero High School Aquatics Center, I wanted to thank all of you for your interest in the facility. The District shares your excitement to open the new swimming pool and is eager to have our students benefit from this fantastic new high school facility. Here is a brief update on the new AHS Aquatics Center:

·       This project was completely funded through the State Matching Facility Funds. The previous Facility Bond was fully expended in June of 2023. At the direction of the Board of Trustees the AUSD Business Department and Facilities Department invested countless hours in order to secure this funding source, which allowed the Board of Trustees to approve this wonderful project.

·       In addition to the swimming pool, this project also included improvements to site safety and security with perimeter fencing and pedestrian gating, fresh painting of the buildings surrounding the pool, and repaving of the parking lots near the gym.

·       With the “storm of the century” last year, and another above average year of rainfall, we have experienced significant and legitimate weather delays, which have resulted in a postponed opening date.

As always it is the school district’s goal to provide safe and effective school facilities that support our students and add value to our greater community. The new Atascadero High School Aquatics center clearly meets this standard. We look forward to sharing the opening date with you soon.

Thanks for your ongoing support,

Tom Butler

Superintendent

AHOY, Friends of CAPS!

After being set adrift on its own in 2022, CAPS found itself in an SOS situation - we could either Sink or Swim. The CAPS crew considered the options and decided our mission was too important to be relegated to Davy Jones's Locker, so we put on our life vests and secured our own corporate status and 501(c)(3) nonprofit designation. Since then, we've been stuck in the doldrums... Until now!

This is your boarding pass to help us christen our new flagship! Our online Auction for Education 2024 launches HERE with a May Day Mayday call on May 1st, and sails the seas until midnight on Cinco de Mayo. Click the "Mayday" link to preview our small but mighty collection of auction packages. You can also make a donation at any time by clicking the "SOS" link. 

If you aren't familiar with CAPS and our journey, we are an all-volunteer organization dedicated to enriching the educational lives of Atascadero students by providing grants to public school teachers. Through fundraising and donations, we've been proud to subsidize unfunded and underfunded programs, such as coding software, subscriptions to electronic resources, field trips, assemblies, musical instruments, science supplies, graphing calculators, and so much more. Thanks to our generous supporters, CAPS has granted nearly $1 Million to fund educational programs in all Atascadero public schools!

We hope that you will join us on our inaugural voyage back into fundraising so we can get back to doing what we love - supporting our students and teachers! In the meantime, please help us spread the word far and wide. See you on May Day, Mateys!

Many thanks from the CAPS Crew:

• Nicole Hider, Director
• Carrie White, President
• Roni DeCoster, Treasurer
• Felisha Imhoff, Secretary

San Gabriel Elementary School



staff are so proud of our student leader Devin Chew, who came up with the idea to hold an SBAC Rally.

Ms. McDaniels and the Student Council helped her

put it all together.

Third through fifth grade students participated in

a rally with the Atascadero High School Cheerleaders and participated in academic review stations.

AHS Cheerleaders supported them along the way!

AUSD Transportation Department

celebrated National School Bus Driver Appreciation Day

on Tuesday, April 23rd.  

We are so grateful for our amazing drivers! 

School Bus drivers are the people who transport our students to their future and always ensure their safety!

Santa Rosa Academic Academy Students Experience Solar Eclipse

Students at Santa Rosa Academic Academy recently enjoyed a captivating view of the solar eclipse, enhancing their understanding of this astronomical phenomenon.

Equipped with safe viewing glasses and guided by their teachers, they learned about the alignment of the Earth, moon, and sun, and the science behind an eclipse.

This engaging experience not only offered a spectacular sight but also sparked an increased interest in astronomy

among the students!

Shout out to the

Fine Arts Academy Dancers and Choir who traveled to Disneyland and were able to perform on stage, engage in workshops, even provide the music to

a real Disney movie! 

We are so proud of our Monarchs!

Fine Arts Honor Choir students grew immensely through a backstage recording session with Christine Guter, who is the DIrector of Vocal Jazz at CSU Long Beach. Ms. Guter works extensively making Hollywood soundtracks, and performs with many legendary musicians. With her knowledge, she guided the students to learning two songs at a level ready for recording, including 4 students singing a solo part. 

Singers then learned how to record using clicktrack background accompaniment (via their headsets) while the recording technician dubbed their voices into a video from two animated pictures. The final product was amazing!

Congratulations to Atascadero High School's Marlie Cazier!



She is the 2024 Mountain League Girls Diving Champion.

Atascadero High School Choir

participated in two choral festivals, one at Cal Poly and one at Cuesta College.  They had the opportunity to work with world-class directors and earned  high scores and great feedback, including an award for choral excellence. 

Check out their Spring Concert next

Friday, May 3, at 6:30 p.m. at the ABC Church.

The Atascadero High School FFA Students continue to shine.



Check out some of their recent successes!

Every student at

San Benito Elementary School

had a great time in team-training, becoming incredible leaders, and learning that they have the POWER to be their best selves these past two weeks.

On Wednesday, they each ran laps as part of their annual

Fun Run fundraiser.

Family volunteers and visitors made the event possible!

Atascadero Middle School

Tech Trek Campers Selected

Four 7th grade students from AMS were selected to participate in the American Association of University Women’s (AAUW) Tech Trek Camp. Congratulations to Kaiya Kirkland, Mackenzie Rebaza, Ellie Arbelaez and Aela Harms. 

Through hands-on problem solving and encounters with women role models in STEM, the AAUW Tech Trek helps girls see their futures while having nonstop fun. This one-week summer camp is backed by AAUW’s research and designed to make STEM fields exciting and accessible to

girls in middle school.

Our four outstanding 7th grade scientists were nominated by their science teachers (Mrs. Iba & Mrs. Pruitt), and endured a rigorous application process which included an essay and interview with the panel of our local AAWU representatives.

It is an extreme honor to be chosen and we are

so proud of our AMS scholars!

AMS Student Leadership Conference



The 2024 SLO County Behavioral Health Student Leadership Conference was held on April 11th at the Colony Park Community Center in Atascadero. This conference was focused on promoting emotional wellness, resilience, and connection to the nearly 60 middle school students from across the county that attended the event!

Ten students from the AMS FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE club were selected to participate. After some general introduction games, students attended workshops on topics like healthy disagreements, drug and alcohol prevention, finding your passions, and more. The event was led by FNL staff, high school student leaders, and community partners. After workshops and a plentiful lunch, students were able to participate in roller skating facilitated by SLO Roll.  

Third graders from

San Benito Elementary School

enjoyed a field trip to their neighborhood

Adobe Springs Preserve!

The Atascadero Land Preservation Society hosted this walking field trip that included volunteer-led lessons on: the spring, beavers, the Salinan people, and the natural history of the site (Anza Party, adobe building etc.).

Cub Scout Pack 51 volunteered to improve the sensory path at

San Benito Road Elementary School by refreshing the paint! 

We thank this group of volunteers for the facelift to our community!

Nondiscrimination Notice:

The Board of Trustees is committed to providing equal opportunity for all individuals in education. District programs, activities, and practices shall be free from discrimination based on gender, race, color, actual or perceived ancestry, national origin, ethnic group identification, age, religion, marital or parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or genetic information, the perception of one or more of such characteristics, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. Atascadero Unified School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Atascadero Unified School District complies with the requirements of the U.S. Office of Civil Rights laws, such as the Fair Employment Practices Act, Title IX Regulations, Section 504, Title II and ADA requirements in employment and education programs and activities.

Title IX Officer: Assist. Supt. Human Resources, 5601 West Mall Atascadero, CA (805) 462-4200

504 Coordinator: Dir. Student Intervention Services, 5601 West Mall, Atascadero, CA (805) 462-4230