Top 4 Best Special Needs Schools in Atwater, California (2026)

Elmer Wood Elementary School stands on what was once Elmer Wood's family farm on Atwater's Bellevue Road. Wood, a World War I veteran and fruit grower, served on the Atwater Elementary School District board from 1933 to 1954, and he counted having this school named after him as his greatest personal honor. The Woodchucks span transitional kindergarten through 6th grade, with two TK teachers, two kindergarten teachers and two or three classes at each grade level after that. Students have PE, music and library time with their own specialist teachers. Our academic support team includes a special education teacher, resource specialist (RSP) and special day class (SDC) staff, an intervention teacher, a school psychologist and a nurse. A community outreach coordinator connects families with resources through the California Community Schools Partnership Program, and an English Learner Advisory Committee gives families of English learners a voice. An ASES after school program runs on campus, and students build reading habits with Accelerated Reader. Our motto calls each student a masterpiece in the making.

• Public elementary school (TK-6)
• Transitional kindergarten
• Community school
• Public school

Juniper Elementary School is home to the Atwater Elementary School District's Dual Language Immersion program, which launched here in August 2023 with a first kindergarten cohort and grows by one grade each year. The program follows an 80/20 model: kindergarten and first grade are taught mostly in Spanish, and the share of English rises each year until classes reach an even split. The goals are bilingualism, biliteracy in English and Spanish, and appreciation for other cultures. Our campus includes a library and STEM lab building, a multi-purpose room, and a separate TK and kindergarten area with its own playground. We use Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) schoolwide, teaching clear expectations for classrooms, the cafeteria and the playground and recognizing students who meet them. Families take part through our Parent Teacher Organization, the English Learner Advisory Council and the School Site Council, and much of our communication goes out in both English and Spanish. During the year students look forward to the fall festival, book fairs, a grandparents and VIP lunch, food drives, and high-fives from JJ the Bluejay, our mascot.

• Public elementary school
• Speech therapy
• PBIS
• Public school

Landmark Christian School began in 1990 as a ministry of Landmark Tabernacle, the Atwater church that still sponsors us. We enroll students from K4 (four-year-old kindergarten) through 12th grade. Abeka is our primary curriculum in every grade, supplemented with other materials in certain subjects, and teachers mix classroom instruction with independent study so students build good study habits. Our elementary and middle grades are taught in paired classrooms: kindergarten has its own teacher, then 1st and 2nd, 3rd and 4th, 5th and 6th, and 7th and 8th each share a classroom teacher, while high school students have their own instructors. Christianity, integrity and morals are taught alongside academics, and students attend chapel. Our high school takes part in the regional ROP program, which places soon-to-be graduates in real jobs for hands-on work experience before they finish school. Students also produce a yearbook.

• Private Christian school (K4-12)
• Abeka curriculum
• Multi-grade classrooms
• Christian education

Peggy Heller's work in reading instruction reaches into the history of our Atwater school. She devoted decades to local teaching, became the district's reading specialist and continued supporting students and educators after retiring from full-time teaching. We carry her name as children ask questions, explore ideas and develop their strengths at Peggy Heller School. Our learning resources include reading activities and coding opportunities, alongside support for English-language development assessments. The school has elementary and junior-high schedules and offers athletics. Teachers and school leaders work with families on children's learning, character development and participation in campus life. Students and parents can request social-emotional support or report bullying concerns. Youth Warm Line resources provide another support connection. Families can use English and Spanish student and family handbooks to understand the school experience, and ParentSquare connects them with school communications. Parents also contribute through School Site Council and the English Learner Advisory Committee. These roles give them ways to participate in school life alongside working with their child's teacher. Family and student handbooks are available in English and Spanish. ParentSquare provides school communications, while students and parents can request social-emotional support and use Youth Warm Line resources.

• Elementary school
• Public school