Atascadero principal promoted to district office
E.J. Rossi delivers his speech at the last Atascadero High School graduation ceremony he will preside over. Rossi will start his job as superintendent of educational services on July 1. Photo by Heather Young
– Atascadero High School Principal E.J. Rossi is leaving the school on June 30 for a promotion to assistant superintendent of educational services of the Atascadero Unified School District.
“I think E.J. has an outstanding record in the district that has been proven,” incoming Atascadero Unified School District Superintendent Tom Butler said. “He also understands the secondary level. I’m very pleased to have E.J. on board.”
Rossi joined Atascadero Unified School District in 2007 as assistant principal at the high school and quickly was promoted to principal.
“I got into education to build the lives of children,” Rossi said. “Then I got into administration, it was the same with teachers.”
He said he applied for the position so he could have the opportunity to broaden his impact on teachers, who then impact the lives of children.
“I get to see kids grow and learn and attain goals they didn’t know they could get or should set,” he said. “I just loved being part of programs and initiatives that helped children grow.”
Rossi started his teaching career in San Lucas teaching multiple subjects and math in kindergarten through eighth grades in 1999. He graduated from Central High School in Fresno, before heading to Cuesta College. From there he went to Fresno State, where he got his bachelor’s degree in multiple studies with a minor in math. He earned his master’s degree from Cal Poly in educational administration.
Before moving to Atascadero, Rossi was superintendent of San Ardo and San Lucas union school districts. Rossi lives in Atascadero with his wife, Tracy, and their two children, a daughter who will be a freshman at Atascadero High School, and a son, who will be a fifth-grader.
“She’s just so supportive,” Rossi said of his wife.
