St. Helen Catholic School

I feel like the words I choose will in no way measure up to the beauty of this school, but I will try. St. Helen is a choice we made a long time ago for our three children and it is the best decision we have ever made. I could go on and on about the quality of the teachers, staff, curriculum and Catholic standards, but those have already been well express. Our litmus test? Our three children. I have seen them shaped into compassionate, kind, respectful, honest young men and women. I will admit, at first my husband and I were not sure if the sacrifice would outweigh the benefit when it came to choosing Catholic schools for our children, but St. Helen has exceeded expectations we did not even realize were important to us until we saw them live out in our children. Not only are we sure they are prepared educationally for the world in front of them, we now know that they are more than prepared spiritually, emotionally and morally. Of course we are the first teachers of our children. St. Helen has enriched and assisted our family teachings in beautiful ways that we see come to light every day. Is it worth the sacrifice? A million times over.
--Submitted by a parent

This is our 7th year at SHCS, and we absolutely love it! St. Helen may not have all the extras that you can get in larger schools, but they offer a ton of extra-curriculars such as athletics, PSIA, drama, yearbook, and on and on. Academics are first-rate. Students score well on standardized tests and participate in State-level competitions. The teachers are wonderful--very approachable for the kids, and the staff is accessible and friendly. The principal is always visible, and is at practically every school event. The coaches truly work with every student who wants to participate in sports. The Catholic values that they teach are what set St. Helen apart. There are a lot of Catholic schools in the area, but St. Helen is the best mix of small-town family and big-city opportunities. The principal and the staff are CONSTANTLY finding ways to make the school even better. Truly dedicated! I would encourage anyone who is considering Catholic school for their children to check out St. Helen. I'm disappointed in the negative reviews here, knowing who wrote them and how they have their own agenda. Don't let them scare you off. Come see for yourself! You won't be disappointed.
--Submitted by a parent

Simply an amazing school with above average teachers and administration!! After having been in another area Catholic school for years before transferring to St. Helen, I can honestly say that St. Helen's curriculum , staff and Catholic identity is head and shoulders above anything we have seen while not only attending our previous school, but in also researching other schools. I love that the priests at St. Helen Church interact with the children daily, in everything from eating lunch with them, attending their events, and hosting ice cream parties to being very involved in their religious education.
--Submitted by a parent

This school did not meet my academic or spiritual expectations. I think they could do a lot better with some small adjustments, but I do not know if they want to be what a Catholic school should be

St. Helens is a avearge school with alot of room for improvement. The instruction is very traditional and the curriulum is lacking. Good teachers are limited. Some years we had a good teacher. Other years, the teacher and instruction was below average. When paying for your education, teacher quality is a must.
--Submitted by a parent

Please know that the unchristian reviews are coming from someone who was asked to leave because of their child's behavioral issues. The text books are NOT public school textbooks AT ALL. There is not one religious teacher in our school who would even come close to being called liberal. I am so sad for the person who feels the need to continue their attacks and don't understand while they are allowed to remain. We have all been praying for them. Bottom line, visit the school and make an informed decision.
--Submitted by a parent

Actually, 99% of the employees are parents (not all have had children who attended this school because they're older parents), but parents nonetheless. Our principal chose to serve God and has done so for 50 years!! She's like a mom to all. What a wonderful example to the students. As for the comment posted on February 27th - we'll keep you in our prayers!!
--Submitted by a parent

50% of employees are parents or have been parents. There is a interwoven group that springs off of them and a few other parents that feel that this is their school and they let you know that you are not part of their clique. To be a part of their clique you have to smile at everything and think nothing is wrong.The curriculum is public scool textbooks for the most part. The religion series is written by a liberal theologian. So, it is very watered down. There are some very wonderful people here but if you are okay with secular curricula, the public schools are better and if you want Catholic, you are better off homeschooling.
--Submitted by a parent

When I think of St. Helen, the first thing that comes to mind is family. Yes, it is an amazing academic and spiritual place for our three children, but it is also part of our family. The sports games, the dinners, the adult cubs and gatherings...always a sense of family. The teachers and especially the principal have an incredible love for each and every child in that school. The children are respectful of each other and if there are discipline issues, they are dealt with swiftly and always used as an example of how we are expected to behave as Christians. All three of our children scored in the 90th and above percentile on national standardized testing...that speaks volumes to me as a parent.
--Submitted by a parent

We visited several schools before selecting Saint Helen's Catholic School. What attracted us to Saint Helens was the friendliness of the staff, the aggressive curriculum, and the polite and respectful way the students behaved in the classrooms. All the teachers at SCHS have 10+ years experiance and a love for teaching. If you are interested in a faith-enriched education for your child, this is the place to be. We have seen our children's study habits improve, and we are thankful that the athletic programs focus on the children learning teamwork and how to be responsible teammates and competitors.
--Submitted by a parent