St. Helen School strives to promote the spiritual and intellectual development of every student. First in the State of Ohio to be certified as a Virtue Based Restorative Discipline School, students are educated in the Catholic Faith, prepared for the sacraments, and attend weekly Mass. Our mission is to provide a structured, nurturing environment that allows each student to grow spiritually, academically, and emotionally. As educators, we accept the challenge of our ministry to model Catholic morals, values, and traditions. Our focus on faith formation and academic excellence prepares the students to be life-long learners who will work to better the world through on-going service. St. Helen, located in Riverside, Ohio, is a community that celebrates diversity and welcomes families from areas including Beavercreek, Dayton, Fairborn, Huber Heights, Riverside, Kettering, Jefferson Township, and military families from Wright Patterson Air Force Base.
General Info:
Address: 5086 Burkhardt Road
Riverside, Ohio 45431
Phone: (937) 256-1761
Website: https://www.sainthelenschool.org/
Q&A with St. Helen:
What makes St. Helen unique?
St. Helen Parish was founded in 1954, at this time, a school was built prior to the church because educating our children in the catholic faith was so important. This priority continues today with our commitment to Virtue Based Restorative Discipline. Every day we strive to build character by living virtuously. The way we achieve this is by building community and trust in the classroom, learning about virtues and creative ways to share them with others at home and at school. Additionally, discuss potential problems and discover solutions before they turn into bigger problems.
What is St. Helen’s age/grade range?
St. Helen serves preschool through grade 8. Preschool welcomes children who are age three to five and completely potty-trained. A child must be five by September 30 to enroll in Kindergarten. St. Helen welcomes new family enrollment at the beginning of March each year. To enroll a family must submit a completed registration packet, the required documentation (birth certificate, immunization record, copy of last report card, baptism certificate and custody papers-if applicable) as well as the registration fee. More details on our enrollment process can be found on our website: https://www.sainthelenschool.org/registration
Do you offer financial assistance?
St. Helen School offers several opportunities for financial assistance. Our school accepts the EdChoice Scholarship, EdChoice Expansion Scholarship, Catholic Education Foundation, Preschool Promise assistance in addition to being awarded a limited number of Early Childhood Expansion Scholarships.
Families are encouraged to contact the school to see if they qualify for financial assistance. Additional information on financial assistance can be found on our website. https://www.sainthelenschool.org/tuition-assistance
What are the standard school day hours?
A normal school day for K-8th grade at St. Helen goes from 7:50 am -2:50 pm.
We offer several different schedule options for our preschool program:
● 3 full day (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 7:50am to 2:50 pm)
● 5 half day (7:50 am to 11 am)
● 5 full day (7:50 am to 2:50 pm)
Does St. Helen offer after school care? Does St. Helen offer afterschool activities?
St Helen offers an onsite YMCA Enrichment Program after school. Information about this program can be found at: https://www.sainthelenschool.org/ymca-enrichment-program
St. Helen offers a variety of extracurricular activities including but not limited to Boy Scouts, soccer, basketball, volleyball as well as track and field.
Does St. Helen have a homework policy?
Homework is an outgrowth of class work. The amount of time a student spends on homework will vary from student to student, but the following serves as an approximate guide:
● Kindergarten: 10 minutes per night
● Grade 1: 20 minutes per night
● Grades 2 and 3: 30 minutes per night
● Grades 4, 5, and 6: 45-60 minutes per night
● Grades 7 and 8: 60-90 minutes per night
If your student is spending more time than this on homework, you are encouraged to talk with their teacher.
Does St. Helen offer support for students with special needs?
St. Helen has intervention tutors, a school counselor, and a speech therapist from Mad River Local Schools. We also partner with the University of Dayton’s ECHO Program to have a part time ECHO counselor on staff.
What specialty classes / extracurricular activities does St. Helen offer (gym, art, language, sports etc.)?
St Helen offers several enrichment or specialty classes. Music, gym, art, library and Spanish are offered weekly to students in grades K-3. Students in grades 4-8 are offered library, music, and gym weekly and Spanish and art by the trimester
St. Helen offers a variety of extracurricular activities including but not limited to Boy Scouts, soccer, basketball, volleyball as well as track and field.
What are St. Helen’s safety policies?
St. Helen School makes safety a top priority. All doors are locked and can’t be accessed from outside visitors. All visitors and volunteers must scan their ID into our Identa-Kid Visitor System. The system runs a background check and then prints a badge for the visitor or volunteer. They are required to wear this badge while in the building. St. Helen also uses this system for students who are tardy or being picked up early. The adult picking the student up must scan their ID before the student is released. Cameras have been installed throughout the campus. Staff has been trained by Riverside PD on Lockdown and evacuation practices. Students and staff take part in safety drills on a monthly basis.
