Helena Elementary

Summary:

Helena Elementary is a public elementary school located in Timberlake, North Carolina, serving 523 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Person County Schools district, which is ranked 101 out of 242 school districts in the state.

Helena Elementary is a high-performing school, consistently ranking in the top 25% of North Carolina elementary schools over the past 10 years. The school's academic performance is generally above the district and state averages, particularly in mathematics and science. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 74.2% of 3rd graders, 70% of 4th graders, and 57.3% of 5th graders were proficient or better in EOG Mathematics, compared to 67.6% and 62.7% for the district and state, respectively. However, the school's performance in reading is more mixed, with 5th-grade reading proficiency lagging behind. Helena Elementary has also shown strong performance for its African American and low socioeconomic status student subgroups, ranking in the top 25% and top 16% of North Carolina elementary schools, respectively, in recent years. Conversely, the school's performance for its gifted and talented student subgroup has been relatively low, ranking in the bottom 10% of North Carolina elementary schools.

Compared to nearby schools, Helena Elementary's academic performance is generally stronger, particularly in mathematics and science. For instance, Woodland Elementary, the closest school to Helena, has similar high performance in mathematics and science, but lags behind in reading proficiency. Other nearby schools, such as North End Elementary and Stories Creek Elementary, have more diverse student populations but lower overall academic performance compared to Helena Elementary. Schools outside the Person County Schools district, like Little River K-8 School and Eno Valley Elementary in the Durham Public Schools district, have lower academic performance and higher percentages of students from low-income backgrounds compared to Helena Elementary.


Detail:

Public K-5

 355 Helena Moriah Rd
       Timberlake, NC  27583


(336) 364-7715

District: Person County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
406th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,643 Help


Students who attend Helena Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Southern Middle
High:    Person High

Student/teacher ratio:  15.4 Help
Number of students:  523

Racial breakdown:

White:
68.8%
African American:
14.1%
Hispanic:
10.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  99.4% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Helena Elementary ranks better than 73% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 4th among 7 ranked elementary schools in the Person County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 69.83. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Helena Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Person County Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (68.8%), African American (14.1%), Hispanic (10.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 99.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Person County Schools District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Helena Elementary is 15.4, which is the highest among 7 elementary schools in the Person County Schools District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Helena Elementary employs 33.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Helena Elementary is $9,643, which is the lowest among 7 elementary schools in the Person County Schools District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Helena Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Helena Elementary 406th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Helena Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Person County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Person County Schools 101st of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Helena Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Helena Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 75.82 236th 1276 81.5%
2007 75.44 250th 1293 80.7%
2008 78.15 218th 1324 83.5%
2009 83.86 143rd 1354 89.4%
2010 81.90 163rd 1363 88.0%
2011 84.16 137th 1381 90.1%
2012 78.80 236th 1388 83.0%
2013 73.67 312th 1403 77.8%
2014 88.25 123rd 1390 91.2%
2015 89.62 92nd 1440 93.6%
2016 90.21 84th 1425 94.1%
2017 84.75 154th 1429 89.2%
2018 82.41 193rd 1434 86.5%
2019 67.91 443rd 1473 69.9%
2021 71.86 372nd 1489 75.0%
2022 64.09 516th 1514 65.9%
2023 73.29 356th 1502 76.3%
2024 69.83 406th 1505 73.0%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Helena Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 66.77 51st 159 67.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Helena Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 55.28 265th 801 66.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Helena Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.16 291st 1332 78.2%
2019 63.76 417th 1361 69.4%
2021 80.76 140th 1329 89.5%
2022 69.25 288th 1366 78.9%
2023 77.64 206th 1437 85.7%
2024 75.07 233rd 1450 83.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Helena Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.39 196th 1405 86.0%
2019 58.08 589th 1424 58.6%
2021 62.16 482nd 1440 66.5%
2022 75.99 285th 1458 80.5%
2023 77.78 251st 1459 82.8%
2024 79.53 219th 1455 84.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Helena Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.60 79th 897 91.2%
2019 68.35 168th 878 80.9%
2021 57.44 195th 646 69.8%
2022 55.35 200th 634 68.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Helena Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 65.89 76th 612 87.6%
2023 47.35 458th 582 21.3%
2024 35.10 598th 669 10.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Helena Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.68 190th 1413 86.6%
2019 74.69 289th 1430 79.8%
2021 76.50 288th 1444 80.1%
2022 51.35 700th 1464 52.2%
2023 65.52 458th 1461 68.7%
2024 56.42 620th 1464 57.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Helena Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.67 365th 927 60.6%
2019 69.40 206th 949 78.3%
2021 93.59 30th 896 96.7%
2023 80.97 99th 933 89.4%
2024 61.17 272nd 924 70.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Helena Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 61.05 311th 951 67.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Helena Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.90 238th 1178 79.8%
2019 56.88 510th 1183 56.9%
2021 55.29 501st 1172 57.3%
2022 46.41 664th 1194 44.4%
2023 56.07 525th 1183 55.6%
2024 54.78 531st 1166 54.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, 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.

Helena Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Helena Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 447 125 0 1 0 n/a n/a -2 571
1989 459 126 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 587
1990 447 119 0 1 0 n/a n/a 2 569
1991 459 109 0 0 0 n/a n/a 2 570
1992 493 111 1 2 1 n/a n/a 0 608
1993 517 106 1 6 2 n/a n/a 0 632
1994 508 108 1 2 1 n/a n/a 0 620
1995 499 97 0 3 5 n/a n/a 0 604
1996 499 97 0 3 5 n/a n/a 0 604
1997 508 119 0 3 5 n/a n/a 0 635
1998 512 130 0 5 4 n/a n/a 0 651
1999 536 135 0 5 2 n/a n/a 0 678
2000 557 145 0 7 1 n/a n/a 0 710
2001 537 132 0 14 1 n/a n/a 0 684
2002 521 141 2 12 3 n/a n/a 0 679
2003 521 141 2 12 3 n/a n/a 0 679
2004 512 150 2 19 5 n/a n/a 0 688
2005 505 136 2 14 4 n/a n/a 0 661
2006 520 132 2 25 6 n/a n/a 0 685
2007 522 94 2 32 6 n/a n/a 24 680
2008 539 98 4 24 6 n/a n/a 23 694
2009 538 125 3 26 5 n/a n/a 0 697
2010 516 118 3 26 6 n/a n/a 0 669
2011 546 85 2 26 4 0 26 0 689
2012 500 82 2 25 3 1 30 0 643
2013 512 66 1 30 5 1 29 0 644
2014 480 72 0 31 7 1 34 0 625
2015 477 71 0 28 6 1 35 0 618
2016 474 70 0 27 5 1 42 0 619
2017 442 82 1 34 1 1 44 0 605
2018 435 74 0 34 1 0 39 0 583
2019 412 82 0 36 0 0 44 0 574
2020 375 70 0 37 0 0 52 0 534
2021 346 71 0 39 0 0 45 0 501
2022 363 53 0 42 0 0 42 0 500
2023 360 74 0 53 0 0 36 0 523

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 Helena Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 571 31.0 18.4 25.9
1989 587 35.0 16.7 34.8
1990 569 35.0 16.2 36.4
1991 570 35.0 16.2 36.3
1992 608 36.0 16.8 17.4
1993 632 36.0 17.6 19.5
1994 620 37.0 16.8 20.5
1995 604 34.0 17.8 20
1996 604 34.0 17.8 20
1997 635 35.0 18.1 19.7
1998 651 43.0 15.1 21
1999 678 44.0 15.4 30.4
2000 710 45.0 15.8 26.8
2001 684 45.0 15.2 27.5
2002 679 42.0 16.2 34.2
2003 679 42.0 16.2 34.2
2004 688 42.0 16.4 31.5
2005 661 42.0 15.7 33.6
2006 685 42.0 16.3 32.1
2007 680 n/a n/a 31.7
2008 694 41.1 16.9 31.3
2009 697 40.1 17.4 34.1
2010 669 40.6 16.4 39.8
2011 689 39.1 17.6 40.1
2012 643 38.6 16.6 45.6
2013 644 37.6 17.1 45.5
2014 625 34.3 18.2 44.5
2015 618 34.0 18.1 99.5
2016 619 35.0 17.6 99.5
2017 605 33.0 18.3 99.5
2018 583 34.5 16.8 98.5
2019 574 34.5 16.6 99.5
2020 534 33.5 15.9 99.4
2021 501 33.5 14.9 99.2
2022 500 33.5 14.9 99.4
2023 523 33.8 15.4 99.4

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 Helena Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 571 31.0 18.4 25.9
1989 587 35.0 16.7 34.8
1990 569 35.0 16.2 36.4
1991 570 35.0 16.2 36.3
1992 608 36.0 16.8 17.4
1993 632 36.0 17.6 19.5
1994 620 37.0 16.8 20.5
1995 604 34.0 17.8 20
1996 604 34.0 17.8 20
1997 635 35.0 18.1 19.7
1998 651 43.0 15.1 21
1999 678 44.0 15.4 30.4
2000 710 45.0 15.8 26.8
2001 684 45.0 15.2 27.5
2002 679 42.0 16.2 34.2
2003 679 42.0 16.2 34.2
2004 688 42.0 16.4 31.5
2005 661 42.0 15.7 33.6
2006 685 42.0 16.3 32.1
2007 680 n/a n/a 31.7
2008 694 41.1 16.9 31.3
2009 697 40.1 17.4 34.1
2010 669 40.6 16.4 39.8
2011 689 39.1 17.6 40.1
2012 643 38.6 16.6 45.6
2013 644 37.6 17.1 45.5
2014 625 34.3 18.2 44.5
2015 618 34.0 18.1 99.5
2016 619 35.0 17.6 99.5
2017 605 33.0 18.3 99.5
2018 583 34.5 16.8 98.5
2019 574 34.5 16.6 99.5
2020 534 33.5 15.9 99.4
2021 501 33.5 14.9 99.2
2022 500 33.5 14.9 99.4
2023 523 33.8 15.4 99.4

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 Helena Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,033 (10.7%) $8,609 (89.3%) $9,643

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Helena Elementary

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 443rd of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 356th of 1502 Elementary schools
 6.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Helena Elementary)55.373
 17.7%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Person County Schools)60.465.1
 4.7%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Helena Elementary)58.556.2
 2.3%
   3rd Grade Reading (Person County Schools)49.245.8
 3.4%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Helena Elementary)65.863.3
 2.5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Person County Schools)58.758.2
 0.5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Helena Elementary)67.652.2
 15.4%
   4th Grade Reading (Person County Schools)50.451.5
 1.1%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Helena Elementary)70.175.3
 5.2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Person County Schools)67.359.7
 7.6%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Helena Elementary)68.261
 7.2%
   5th Grade Reading (Person County Schools)58.945.2
 13.7%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Helena Elementary)84.185.7
 1.6%
   5th Grade Science (Person County Schools)8169.8
 11.2%
   5th Grade Science (North Carolina)72.665.3
 7.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students574523
 8.9%
African American8274
 9.8%
American Indian00
Asian00
Hispanic3653
 47.2%
Pacific Islander00
White412360
 12.6%
Two or More Races4436
 18.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients99.5%99.4%
 0.1%


Schools Near Helena Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Helena Elementary

In the 2022-23 school year, 523 students attended Helena Elementary.

Students who attend Helena Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Southern Middle
High : Person High

Students at Helena Elementary are 69% White, 14% African American, 10% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races.

Helena Elementary ranks 406th of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 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 North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

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.





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