The mission of St. Helen Catholic School is to provide a quality Catholic education that incorporates faith, academics, service and leadership. Students are encouraged to be confident and productive learners who are “making good things happen.”
Notable Academics and Extracurriculars
The academic rigor at St. Helen Catholic School is one that challenges students appropriate to their grade level. To help students develop key learning and thinking skills, the school has implemented the 1:1 iPad program. iPads provide faculty and students with a technological tool that enhances student learning and achievement, while bringing higher order thinking skills to a new level. This tool affords students greater opportunities to be productive students and citizens in a meaningful way, as they enter a global environment that will require greater technology skills, collaboration and teamwork. The iPad Program promotes leadership in one's own learning by establishing access to educational resources, while facilitating mobile learning across the school campus and beyond.
In addition, St. Helen Catholic School offers classes in apps and coding, and advanced Spanish, English, Math and Science courses. Students have the opportunity to compete in the Tropicana Speech Contest and the Daughters of the American Revolution Essay contest. Last year, 64% of eligible students in grades fourth through eighth made the Honor Roll. Two students, one in fourth grade and one in fifth grade, were recognized as State Grade Level Winners in the Zaner-Bloser Handwriting contest.
Individualized Attention Tailored to Each Student
Each student is encouraged to learn at his or her own pace at St. Helen Catholic School. When a student encounters a challenging subject and needs individual attention, the school provides a list a of teachers available for tutoring before or after school. Also, the school offers a structured hour of study hall after school for grades third through eighth. Here, students can complete homework, read and study under the supervision of a dedicated study hall coordinator.
Fostering of Spiritual Growth in Faculty and Students
The school provides multiple opportunities for our students to “make good things happen” and to live and share the Gospel message. In addition to weekly Mass, students participate in hands-on activities that help them recognize the presence of Jesus in their everyday actions. Two very popular activities include fifth grade students who help to prepare palms for Palm Sunday Mass every year, and fourth grade students present the Stations of the Cross each year and also travel to St. Augustine where they visit “America’s first parish,” the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine.
The school also collaborates with multiple parish ministries like the Serra Ministry, which provides students with a vocations prayer box that holds prayer cards for vocations. The box is handed off to a new class after each student Mass. The Serra Ministry is arranging for sixth grade students to visit the St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary this year in efforts to foster vocations. Also, the Council of Catholic Women adopts a class each year and offers their prayers and spiritual support to the class.
Initiatives in Support of a Wholistic Education
During the 2018-2019 school year, first grade teachers Caitlin Freedman and Emily Kapcar, partnered with the local Humane Society and launched a reading program to help build reading skills and confidence in first grade students. Once a month, the two first-grade classes alternate visits to the Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County. There, they practice their reading skills with their assigned furry friend, gaining non-judgmental reading practice in a setting that’s both relaxed and fun.
The National Junior Honor Society has increased to 24 students, and the organization accumulated 537 service hours and donated 280 pounds of food to charity. In addition, the Student Council collected school supplies and monetary donations for Hope Rural School in Indiantown and visited the school in late April to deliver $2,000 in donations and much needed school supplies.
Why St. Helen Catholic School is Something Greater
“For some, the decision of elementary school is a nine-year decision. For us, it is the choice of a lifetime of learning and relationships. Our students participate in Catholic traditions, as they build a community of faith at St. Helen Catholic School. We not only offer an academic program that challenges our students and ensures that they are well prepared for high school and the future, but also focus on teaching our students how be something greater on their journey to heaven.” - Lisa Bell, principal
