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Academics

Curriculum

Meeting the academic needs of all students is a priority at St. Helen Catholic School. Programs addressing diverse learning needs include:

  • 1:1 iPad program (grades K-8)
  • Advanced and On level track offered for all students in grades 6th- 8th
  • Orton-Gillingham pull-out instruction (grades 1-4)
  • Teacher aides supporting preschool through fifth grade
  • Learning Lab with a teacher present to provide additional support, accommodations, or enrichment as needed

St. Helen Catholic School is accredited by the Florida Catholic Conference (FCC). Graduates successfully transition to public, private, and parochial high schools, with the majority continuing their education to earn four-year college degrees. We are also a recognized Cardinal Newman Society School. We have been recognized for our emphasis on Catholic Education and a Catholic Identity.  

Academic Program:  

St. Helen Catholic School is committed to educating the whole child. The school follows curriculum guidelines provided by the Diocese of Palm Beach and the Florida Catholic Conference, which are based on the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools, national educational standards, Florida Next Generation Standards, and the Diocese of Palm Beach Standards. St. Helen Catholic School consistently meets and exceeds these standards.

The academic program includes Religion, Language Arts (Reading, Grammar, Spelling, Writing), Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Spanish, Physical Education, Art, Music, Technology, and Library. Core subjects are taught daily at all grade levels in accordance with Diocesan time allocation requirements.

Religion

Religion is taught at all grade levels using The Word of Life series by St. Augustine Institute. Our students attend DAILY Mass, monthly confession and have opportunities for Perpetual Adoration, Living Rosaries, Living Stations, grade level retreats, and faith based field trips.  

Language Arts

Reading and English/Grammar instruction encompasses reading, writing, grammar, spelling, and vocabulary. The reading series includes Open Court (Kindergarten through third grade), Journeys (fourth and fifth grade), and Harcourt Collections (sixth through eighth grade). The English/Grammar series includes The Write Source (grades 1-3) and Voyages by Loyola Press (grades 4-8). Cursive handwriting is introduced in third grade. In grades 1-4, small groups of students are supported by a pull-out teacher to strengthen language arts skills.

Our Middle School ELA program includes a study of classic novels through Memoria Press and grammar and writing through Loyola Press. Writing occurs across all subject areas.  

Mathematics

Mathematics instruction emphasizes operations, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Kindergarten uses the Sadlier series, first grade uses Saxon, grades 2-5 use Sadlier, grades 6-8 use All Things Algebra & Pre-Algebra, and eighth-grade Honors use Glencoe Algebra 1. Classrooms are equipped with manipulatives to enhance learning. Middle school students are placed in advanced or on-level math classes, with advanced eighth-grade students taking high school-level Algebra Honors.

Science

Science is taught by the grade-level teacher in grades 1-5 and by a designated science teacher in middle school. Instruction uses Elevate by Savvas for grades 1-5.

Florida Science Courses 1-3 by McGraw Hill for grades 6-8.  

(Grade 6): Focuses primarily on Earth and Space Science, covering topics like the Earth's structure, weather, and basic natural systems.

(Grade 7): Focuses on Life Science, exploring ecosystems, cellular structures, heredity, and human body systems.

(Grade 8): Focuses on Physical Science, diving into chemistry (atoms, properties of matter) and physics (forces, energy, motion)

Social Studies

Social Studies instruction includes Kids Discover and Studies Weekly for grades K-5. Sixth grade uses Discovering Our Past: A History of the World, seventh grade covers Florida Civics, Economics, and Geography, and eighth grade uses Discovering Our Past: A History of the United States Early Years by McGraw Hill.

Spanish

Spanish is offered at all grade levels. Preschool receives instruction twice weekly for 30 minutes. Grades K-5 receive Spanish two days per week for 45 minutes, while grades 6-8 receive instruction five days per week. Eighth-grade students may enroll in Advanced Spanish, a high school-level Spanish 1 course. Students who earn a B or higher in Advanced Spanish may place into Spanish 2 at local public high schools; placement testing is required for students attending John Carroll High School. Middle school Spanish instruction uses Avancemos by Houghton Mifflin.

Specials

Elementary students participate in Art, Music, and Library once per week and attend Physical Education twice per week.

Technology

Each student in grades K-8 receives an iPad, and teachers are also provided iPads for instructional use. I pads are used as a tool to enhance classroom learning. Classrooms are equipped with document cameras and wireless internet access to enhance instruction across the curriculum.

A dedicated technology support position manages the iPad program and other technology-related programs. This individual ensures all technology is optimized for instruction, provides support for faculty, and offers professional development in technology integration.

Assessment

St. Helen Catholic School administers the TerraNova assessment each spring in accordance with Diocesan requirements. Standardized test results consistently meet or exceed state and Diocesan standards.

The school also uses the STAR test to progress monitor students three times a year in the Fall, Winter, and Spring. Data is used to help drive instruction.  

 Support Programs:  

St. Helen Catholic School offers a large variety of clubs and extra-curricular activities.  

Clubs and extracurricular  

  • National Junior Honor Society  
  • Wednesday Warriors  
  • Altar Servers  
  • Flag Honor Guard  
  • Student Council  
  • Falcon Guard  
  • Youth Ministry with Parish  
  • Christmas Program  
  • Talent/Variety Show  
  • Study Hall  
  • Lego Club  
  • Art Club  
  • Robotics Club  
  • Spirit Squad
  • Sisters in Spirit

 

Athletics  

  • Co-Ed Soccer  
  • Girls Volleyball  
  • Boys Basketball  
  • Girls Basketball
  • Indoor Futsal  
  • Cheerleading  
  • Co-Ed Flag Football  
  • Co-Ed Cross Country  
  • Co-Ed Lacrosse  

Specials:  

Physical Education

St. Helen Catholic School provides Physical Education classes twice weekly for grades Pre-K through fifth and three times weekly for grades sixth through eighth. Each class lasts approximately 45 minutes. The PE teacher is a full-time, certified faculty member with a Master’s degree in Physical Education. The program is designed to ensure that students:

  • Care for the body as a temple of the Holy Spirit.
  • Develop motor skills: Balance, coordination, agility, and spatial awareness.
  • Practice teamwork and sportsmanship: Fair play, discipline, respect, and humility.
  • Build lifelong fitness habits: Understanding health, wellness, and physical activity.
  • Strengthen perseverance and resilience: Growth mindset, handling competition, and striving for excellence.

Art

St. Helen Catholic School provides art classes once a week for all grades PreK – 8th grade. The Art teacher is a certified art teacher. Our art program aims to have students:

  • See art as a reflection of God’s beauty and as a way of expressing faith.
  • Develop creativity and technique: Drawing, painting, sculpture, design, digital media (upper grades).
  • Learn about sacred art: Iconography, stained glass, mosaics, and masterpieces of Catholic tradition.
  • Study art history: From early Christian art to modern Catholic artists.
  • Cultivate appreciation for beauty: Train the eye and heart to see the good, true, and beautiful.

 

Music

St. Helen Catholic School offers music classes twice weekly for all grades, Pre-K through eighth. The music teacher is certified, and the program is designed to ensure that students:

  • Glorify God through music: Understand music as a form of prayer, worship, and beauty in the Catholic tradition.
  • Develop musical skills: Singing, rhythm, melody, notation, and eventually harmony and part-singing.
  • Experience Catholic liturgy: Learn Mass parts, hymns, psalms, and sacred music traditions.
  • Diverse styles: Exposure to classical, world, and contemporary music.
  • Build confidence: Performance, choir participation, and musical creativity.

Spanish

St. Helen Catholic School incorporates Spanish instruction into the curriculum. Students in grades Pre-K through fifth attend Spanish classes twice weekly, while students in grades sixth through eighth receive daily instruction. All classes are taught by a certified Spanish teacher. The program is designed to ensure that students:

  • Develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in Spanish.
  • Gain an understanding of Hispanic culture and traditions.
  • Build confidence in communicating in a second language.
  • Apply language skills in practical and academic contexts.
  • Foster a lifelong interest in language learning and global awareness.
  • Appreciate language as a gift from God and a tool for evangelization and communication.
  • Build communication skills: Listening, speaking, reading, and writing progressively.
  • Learn Catholic prayers and liturgical responses in Spanish (Our Father, Hail Mary, Sign of the Cross, Mass parts).
  • Develop cultural awareness: Understand Hispanic Catholic traditions, saints, and feast days.
  • Foster global citizenship: Prepare to engage respectfully with diverse communities.
  • Library Program
  • St. Helen Catholic School offers a Library program for students. The program is managed entirely by volunteers, all of whom are retired educators. It is designed to ensure that students:
  • Cultivate a love of reading and lifelong learning.
  • Access and effectively use a variety of media and digital resources.
  • Apply library and media skills across all areas of the curriculum.
  • Value reading as a path to wisdom and faith by discovering stories that foster virtue and Catholic worldview.
  • Build literacy skills: Phonics, comprehension, critical thinking, and research.
  • Introduce great literature: Classics, Catholic authors, and age-appropriate contemporary works.
  • Develop information literacy: Learn how to find, evaluate, and use information responsibly. 

Library Program

St. Helen Catholic School offers a Library program for students. The program is managed entirely by volunteers, all of whom are retired educators. It is designed to ensure that students:

  • Cultivate a love of reading and lifelong learning.
  • Access and effectively use a variety of media and digital resources.
  • Apply library and media skills across all areas of the curriculum.
  • Value reading as a path to wisdom and faith by discovering stories that foster virtue and Catholic worldview.
  • Build literacy skills: Phonics, comprehension, critical thinking, and research.
  • Introduce great literature: Classics, Catholic authors, and age-appropriate contemporary works.
  • Develop information literacy: Learn how to find, evaluate, and use information responsibly. 
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