Helen Thompson School

Q: Is Helen Thompson School a good school?

Helen Thompson School ranks 176 th of 290 Maine elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Helen Thompson School is an elementary school located in West Gardiner, Maine, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 253 students. The school is part of the Regional School Unit 11/Maine School Admin District 11, which is ranked 107 out of 177 districts in Maine and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Helen Thompson School's performance is generally on par with or slightly below the district and state averages, some nearby schools, such as Pittston-Randolph Consolidated School and Monmouth Memorial School, have outperformed it on various metrics, including test scores and statewide rankings. The school has a significantly higher percentage of white students (93.68%) compared to the surrounding schools, and has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 5.4% in 2020-2021 to 37.6% in 2021-2022, before dropping to 13.3% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the chronic absenteeism rates of the nearby schools.

Helen Thompson School's academic performance is mixed, with its proficiency rates in English Language Arts (62.71%) and Mathematics (51.69%) slightly below the district and state averages in 2022-2023, while its Science proficiency rate (25%) was significantly lower. The school has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at 31.23% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the state average. Additionally, the school's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, but has generally trended downward, from a high of 115 out of 210 Maine elementary schools in 2021-2022 to 176 out of 290 in 2022-2023, suggesting the school may be struggling to keep pace with other schools in the state.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

309 Spears Corner Road
West Gardiner, ME 04345

(207) 724-3930

District: Regional School Unit 11/Maine School Admin District 11

SchoolDigger Rank:
176^th of 290 Maine Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,181

Students who attend Helen Thompson School usually attend:

Middle:	Gardiner Regional Middle School
High:	Gardiner Area High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.1

Number of students: 253

Racial breakdown:

White:

93.7%

Hispanic:

2.4%

African American:

2.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 31.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Helen Thompson School ranks worse than 60.7% of elementary schools in Maine. It also ranks last among 3 ranked elementary schools in the Regional School Unit 11/Maine School Admin District 11. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 46.65. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Helen Thompson School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Regional School Unit 11/Maine School Admin District 11. Racial makeup is: White (93.7%), Hispanic (2.4%), African American (2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 31.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Regional School Unit 11/Maine School Admin District 11. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Helen Thompson School is 13.1. 2 elementary schools in the Regional School Unit 11/Maine School Admin District 11 have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Helen Thompson School employs 19.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Helen Thompson School is $16,181, which is the 2^nd highest among 3 elementary schools in the Regional School Unit 11/Maine School Admin District 11.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Helen Thompson School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Regional School Unit 11/Maine School Admin District 11:

SchoolDigger ranks Regional School Unit 11/Maine School Admin District 11 107^th of 177 Maine school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Helen Thompson School

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Rank History for all students at Helen Thompson School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile
2006	56.55	72^nd	192	62.5%
2007	56.88	73^rd	198	63.1%
2008	38.08	136^th	195	30.3%
2009	38.76	154^th	209	26.3%
2010	40.69	130^th	193	32.6%
2011	56.18	77^th	186	58.6%
2012	41.35	173^rd	258	32.9%
2013	46.28	151^st	261	42.1%
2015	45.73	176^th	284	38.0%
2016	23.91	222^nd	255	12.9%
2017	45.39	137^th	256	46.5%
2018	29.27	201^st	254	20.9%
2019	39.10	170^th	258	34.1%
2021	44.08	123^rd	228	46.1%
2022	46.51	115^th	210	45.2%
2023	46.65	176^th	290	39.3%

See the entire list of Maine Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Helen Thompson School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	49.48	74^th	153	51.6%

See the entire list of Best Maine Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Helen Thompson School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	ME State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	38.87	103^rd	153	32.7%

See the entire list of Best Maine Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Data source: test scores: Maine Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Maine Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Helen Thompson School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1997	218	4	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	224
1998	212	3	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	217
1999	221	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	222
2000	215	1	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	219
2001	201	5	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	208
2002	221	3	6	1	0	n/a	n/a	231
2003	221	3	6	1	0	n/a	n/a	231
2004	229	0	1	1	2	n/a	n/a	233
2005	221	0	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	222
2006	232	0	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	233
2007	223	0	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	226
2008	231	1	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	235
2009	259	1	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	263
2010	268	2	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	273
2011	292	2	1	2	0	0	2	299
2012	279	3	1	3	1	0	0	287
2013	281	0	0	4	0	0	8	293
2014	288	0	0	3	0	0	5	296
2015	266	3	0	0	0	0	1	270
2016	276	4	0	1	0	0	0	281
2017	284	0	1	0	0	1	1	287
2018	274	1	1	1	0	0	4	281
2019	284	0	2	3	0	0	3	292
2020	276	1	0	5	0	0	4	286
2021	250	0	0	5	0	0	6	261
2022	258	3	1	5	0	0	5	272
2023	237	5	2	6	0	0	3	253

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Helen Thompson School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1997	224	11.6	19.3	18.3
1998	217	12.0	18.1	16.1
1999	222	13.0	17.1	33.3
2000	219	13.0	16.8	24.2
2001	208	12.0	17.3	30.3
2002	231	13.0	17.8	32.5
2003	231	13.0	17.8	32.5
2004	233	13.0	17.9	33
2005	222	13.0	17.1	27.5
2006	233	15.0	15.5	32.6
2007	226	15.4	14.7	36.3
2008	235	19.7	11.9	35.7
2009	263	17.5	15.0	30
2010	273	18.5	14.7	38.5
2011	299	18.6	16.0	39.8
2012	287	21.0	13.6	5.9
2013	293	19.8	14.7	36.5
2014	296	20.0	14.8	35.8
2015	270	20.0	13.5	37
2016	281	20.0	14.0	39.9
2017	287	19.8	14.4	42.2
2018	281	19.8	14.1	29.9
2019	292	19.6	14.8	32.5
2020	286	18.9	15.1	34.3
2021	261	17.9	14.5	29.5
2022	272	19.6	13.8	29.8
2023	253	19.2	13.1	31.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Helen Thompson School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1997	224	11.6	19.3	18.3
1998	217	12.0	18.1	16.1
1999	222	13.0	17.1	33.3
2000	219	13.0	16.8	24.2
2001	208	12.0	17.3	30.3
2002	231	13.0	17.8	32.5
2003	231	13.0	17.8	32.5
2004	233	13.0	17.9	33
2005	222	13.0	17.1	27.5
2006	233	15.0	15.5	32.6
2007	226	15.4	14.7	36.3
2008	235	19.7	11.9	35.7
2009	263	17.5	15.0	30
2010	273	18.5	14.7	38.5
2011	299	18.6	16.0	39.8
2012	287	21.0	13.6	5.9
2013	293	19.8	14.7	36.5
2014	296	20.0	14.8	35.8
2015	270	20.0	13.5	37
2016	281	20.0	14.0	39.9
2017	287	19.8	14.4	42.2
2018	281	19.8	14.1	29.9
2019	292	19.6	14.8	32.5
2020	286	18.9	15.1	34.3
2021	261	17.9	14.5	29.5
2022	272	19.6	13.8	29.8
2023	253	19.2	13.1	31.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Helen Thompson School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$11,268
2019	$11,227
2020	$11,882
2021	$14,319
2022	$14,452
2023	$16,181

Data source: Maine Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Helen Thompson School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 170^th of 258 Elementary schools	Ranks 176^th of 290 Elementary schools	5.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
All Grades English Language Arts (Helen Thompson School)	48.6	83.1	34.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Regional School Unit 11/Maine School Admin District 11)	52.3	83.9	31.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Maine)	55.9	83.8	27.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	292	253	13.4%
African American	0	5
American Indian	0	0
Asian	2	2
Hispanic	3	6	100%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	284	237	16.5%
Two or More Races	3	3
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	32.5%	31.2%	1.3%

Schools Near Helen Thompson School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				MEA English Language Arts (2023)	MEA Mathematics (2023)	MEA Science (2023)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MEA English Language Arts All Grades	MEA Mathematics All Grades	MEA Science All Grades	Total
Helen Thompson School	Public	PK, KG-5	309 Spears Corner Road	West Gardiner	04345	Kennebec County	Regional School Unit 11/Maine School Admin District 11	No	No	No	No	(207) 724-3930	253	19	13.1	31.2%	237 (93.7%)	5 (2.0%)	6 (2.4%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.2%)	46.7	176^th of 290 public elementary schools	39.3%		46.5	115^th of 210 public elementary schools	45.2%	61	62.7	51.7	25.0	$16,181
Laura E Richards School	Public	PK, KG-2	279 Brunswick Avenue	Gardiner	04345	Kennebec County	Regional School Unit 11/Maine School Admin District 11	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 582-3612	243	17	14.7	38.7%	232 (95.5%)	1 (0.4%)	6 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.6%)								(n/a)				$14,801
Hall-Dale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	26 Garden Lane	Hallowell	04347	Kennebec County	Regional School Unit 02	No	No	No	No	(207) 623-8677	277	29	9.4	33.2%	237 (85.6%)	10 (3.6%)	9 (3.2%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.7%)	16 (5.8%)	51.6	161^st of 290 public elementary schools	44.5%		58.5	84^th of 210 public elementary schools	60.0%	77	62.1	52.9		$18,705
Pittston-Randolph Consolidated School	Public	K-5	1023 Pittston School Street	Pittston	04345	Kennebec County	Regional School Unit 11/Maine School Admin District 11	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 582-6268	190	18	10.7	34.2%	182 (95.8%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	4 (2.1%)	55.2	145^th of 290 public elementary schools	50.0%					(n/a)	66.3	54.4	24.1	$17,356
River View Community School	Public	3-5	821 River Road	South Gardiner	04359	Kennebec County	Regional School Unit 11/Maine School Admin District 11	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 582-3402	183	15	12.1	43.2%	170 (92.9%)	7 (3.8%)	2 (1.1%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.6%)	47.1	175^th of 290 public elementary schools	39.7%		40.1	123^rd of 210 public elementary schools	41.4%	52	61.5	52.8	26.9	$15,465
Manchester Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	17 School St.	Manchester	04351	Kennebec County	Regional School Unit 38	No	No	No	No	(207) 622-2949	186	16	11.8	14.5%	170 (91.4%)	3 (1.6%)	3 (1.6%)	3 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.8%)	63.2	116^th of 290 public elementary schools	60.0%					(n/a)	70.5	56.8	26.5	$17,599
Winthrop Grade School	Public	PK, KG-5	23 Highland AVE	Winthrop	04364	Kennebec County	Winthrop Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 377-2241	387	35	11.2	35.9%	364 (94.1%)	11 (2.8%)	3 (0.8%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.3%)	53.7	152^nd of 290 public elementary schools	47.6%		66	66^th of 210 public elementary schools	68.6%	86	66.5	54.2	18.3	$18,359
Lincoln School	Public	K-6	30 Lincoln Street	Augusta	04330	Kennebec County	Augusta Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 626-2483	310	22	14.1	57.4%	288 (92.9%)	5 (1.6%)	9 (2.9%)	4 (1.3%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	48.4	171^st of 290 public elementary schools	41.0%		29.4	151^st of 210 public elementary schools	28.1%	20	58.5	59.2	20.9	$16,967
Libby-Tozier School	Public	PK-K	466 Academy Road	Litchfield	04350	Kennebec County	Regional School Unit 04	No	No	No	No	(207) 375-4273	145	10	14.9	49.7%	137 (94.5%)	3 (2.1%)	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.4%)								(n/a)				$17,378
Carrie Ricker School	Public	3-4	573 Richmond Road	Litchfield	04350	Kennebec County	Regional School Unit 04	No	No	No	Yes	(207) 268-4136	194	20	9.6	42.3%	182 (93.8%)	1 (0.5%)	7 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.1%)	25.4	242^nd of 290 public elementary schools	16.6%		10.9	187^th of 210 public elementary schools	11.0%	55	50.0	45.8		$20,663

Frequently Asked Questions about Helen Thompson School

What district is Helen Thompson School in?

Regional School Unit 11/Maine School Admin District 11

What is the racial makeup of Helen Thompson School?

Students at Helen Thompson School are 94% White, 2% Hispanic, 2% African American, 1% Two or more races.

How many students attend Helen Thompson School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 253 students attended Helen Thompson School.

What schools do graduates of Helen Thompson School attend?

Students who attend Helen Thompson School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Gardiner Regional Middle School
High : Gardiner Area High School

Is Helen Thompson School a good school?

Helen Thompson School ranks 176^th of 290 Maine elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Maine Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.