About Atwater
Welcome to Atwater Avenue Elementary School
Atwater Avenue is an ETK through 6th grade Title 1 elementary school in the heart of Atwater Village. Our student body is richly diverse--including different religions, cultures, languages, races, economic and social realities. We, the Atwater Family, are proud of the many successes.
Our School…
· Dual Language Program - SPANISH
· S.T.E.A.M. Integrated Curriculum for ALL grades
· Itinerant Dance & Theatre Teachers
· School Garden - Ranger Program
· Curriculum-based field trips
· Free supervised after school playground with organized team sports
· Early Intervention Program (W.I.N.)
· Extended Learning Program
· Psychologist, Speech Therapist, Attendance Counselor, and Nurse
· GATE Enrichment Program
· Robotics Program (Vex IQ)
· Departmentalized Team-Teaching
· Handicap Accessible
· Computer Lab
· Parent Volunteer Center
· Low Teacher Turnover
On any given day, if you visit Atwater S.T.E.A.M. Elementary School, you will see amazing things happening in every classroom. You might see students dramatizing one of their stories. Students might be using technology equipment or dissecting animal parts. They might be on the yard playing volleyball or sitting on the field reading a good book. You might also visit on a day when we are having one of our many assemblies for Student of the Month, Perfect Attendance, or Special Presentations. You wouldn’t want to miss our In-N-Out Back to School Fundraiser, Fall Harvest Parade, Winter Holiday Program, Winter Music Concert, Spring Art Show, or our special donor giveaways. If you visit our campus after school, you will see students reading in Book Club, studying in extended learning intervention classes, doing enrichment activities with LA's Best or playing with our Youth Services coaches. We hope you visit during Student-Led Conference week when you will see the best of student-teacher-parent collaboration. On any given day, if you visit Atwater S.T.E.A.M. Elementary School, you will always see teachers teaching and students learning.
Our Events…
· Chess Club
· Spring Art Fair Exhibit
· Spring Dance Show Open House
· Fall Spring Book Fair
· School Spirit Fridays
· Enrichment Activities
· Student Led Parent Conferences
Our GATE program…
A Ravens test is administered annually at Atwater Avenue to formally identify students for the Gifted and Talented Education (G.A.T.E) program. Candidates for “intellectual testing” are customarily identified by the end of grade 2. Parents are welcome to discuss test application/request with the teacher and/or GATE coordinator.
Students may also be identified “gifted” by demonstrating consistent advanced level performance as evidenced by standardized test scores (CSTs) in both subjects over 2 consecutive years. Whether by the results of the Raven’s test (intellectual) or by the results of CSTs (high ability), Atwater is proactive in our approach to identify academically talented students. In fact, Atwater staff members are proactive in recognizing potentially gifted students in both kindergarten and 1st grade.
· Ongoing Enrichment Extracurricular Clubs
· Quarterly Informational Meetings
· Theatre, Dance, and Visual Arts
· Curriculum Field Trips
Our Parent Involvement…
At Atwater Avenue Elementary School, we have always encouraged parent involvement. Volunteering in classrooms and in school government are widely advertised and supported. Speakers are provided at monthly advisory council meetings on subjects specifically requested by the parents. This year, we have a new parent organization referred to as, “The Friends of Atwater Elementary”. We are working collaboratively with our parent organization in sponsoring monthly activities, such as family game nights, movie nights, book club meetings, and book fairs, just to name a few. These activities are already showing an increase in parental involvement. Our goal is to continue to educate and empower our parents for our students’ ultimate benefit.
· School Site Council
· ELAC Advisory Council
· Parent Volunteer Center
· Parent Conferences and Trainings
· Friends of Atwater Elementary
