A Brief History of St. Helen School
	St. Helen Parish and School are located in the northwest part of the City of Saginaw, Michigan. Currently, approximately 910 households make up the parish. From its beginning in 1950, St. Helen has been a parish and school of many “firsts” and accomplishments.
	The first Sunday Mass was held at a neighborhood movie theater, since no building was located on the church property on North Charles Street.
	Ground was broken for a combination church/school building in 1951 and was completed in 1952. The building consisted of a temporary church, classrooms, and a parish hall. The church portion was designed to be easily remodeled into classrooms as soon as a permanent structure could be built. All classrooms were patterned after the most up-to-date projects where the Sisters of Charity-on-the-Ohio were in charge. This is the religious order of sisters who taught in the school until 1977.
	St. Helen School opened in September, 1952, with a staff of eight religious sisters and one lay teacher. Enrollment for Kindergarten through Grade 8 stood at 305. Because of increasing parish and school growth, four additional classrooms were added in 1955. School facilities included thirteen classrooms, an auditorium, a music room and teachers’ lounge. With in the next four years, the parish purchased two homes that stood between the school and convent building and converted them into kindergarten and first grade classrooms. Additionally, in 1959, the diocese’s first portable classroom unit, a unit separate from the main building, was built to hold two first grade classrooms. School enrollment climbed to 711, with a staff of 9 Sisters of Charity, 5 frill-time lay teachers and 2 part-time.
	In 1963, with the completion of a separate, permanent church building, the former church proper was remodeled into four additional classrooms and a library. Enrollment had once again increased to 850.
	In the mid 70’s, faced with declining enrollment, the Kindergarten building was closed and the Kindergarten moved into the main school building. Enrollment declined to 338 with a staff of three Sisters and 10 lay faculty. School enrollment remained steady for the remainder of the decade.
	Through a Positive Action Drive, funds were raised to erect an activity hall/gym to be used by all members of the parish and school community. Another change for St. Helen School in 1982 was the addition of a state-licensed pre-school program for 4 year olds. The following year, a licensed pre-school program for three year olds was added. The technology of computers also was introduced as part of the curriculum.
	Presently St. Helen School encompasses Pre-school through Grade 8 students. The portable classroom unit now serves as a Fine Arts Building and Scouts Room. The activity hail is used for parish functions, physical education programs, various organized school activities and a comprehensive sports program for the school.
	The Church, Rectory, and School, along with the grounds and playgrounds are well maintained and in excellent condition. These attest to the excellent leadership of the Pastor, Pastoral Team, Parish Leadership Group, the Commissions and a host of active parishioners.
	The Community Surrounding
	St. Helen Parish & School
	St. Helen School is located in the northwest section of the city of Saginaw. Once a city highly dependent upon the automotive industry, the city has become less affluent, with population shifting farther to the west, into Saginaw, Thomas and James Townships.
	The school is set amid a neighborhood of small, single family homes. An elementary (K -  6) public school is approximately two blocks to the south. The socio-economic status of the neighborhood is lower-middle to middle class.