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© The State of Queensland (Education Queensland)
2004.
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St
Helens State School was opened on Wednesday, 16 August 1882. The pupils attending
during its early years were principally of German extraction. There were families
of artisans and craftsmen who settled on the outskirts of the city, mainly to
the north of Pallas Street (Newtown) and farmers who settled around the Island
Plantation area.
St Helens State School is a Band 6 school located on the Maryborough-Hervey
Bay Road, four kilometres from the business centre of Maryborough. Students
travel from farms, rural sub-divisions and small acreage lots in the Island
Plantation, Dundathu, Prawle and Hervey Bay Road areas and also from the suburbs
of Maryborough. The latter group has been increasing in recent years as parents
seek alternatives to the larger Maryborough schools.
The school has five main buildings situated in very extensive playgrounds that
include large open playing fields as well as a shaded adventure playground area.
In 2005 the school received a GCBF Grant to upgrade the existing playfort to
meet student interests and enrolment growth. Block A has one classroom as well
as administration, staff and teacher-aide work areas. It features a distinctive
steeply pitched roof and is the original building built in 1882 although it
was extensively remodeled and raised after the 1955 floods. Block B is a double-teaching
space modular unit erected in 1972. The School has received funding to air-condition
this building, upgrade the windows and provide a bi-fold door. Block C is a
double-teaching space modular unit erected in 1997. This building has two classroom
groups. Block D is a double-teaching space modular unit erected in 2004 to cater
for increasing enrolments. In 2006 we received our building for Prep to begin
in 2007.
All teaching blocks are cabled for internet access and have the internal structures
in place to allow classroom, teacher and administration use.
School grounds are primarily large open playing fields. A multipurpose court
was constructed in 2001 to provide additional choice to the students. Two playground
structures provide alternative play areas with one of these being under shade
cover. Multiage / Composite class groupings are characteristic of many small
schools. St Helens class groupings vary year to year as individual class enrolments
fluctuate. Classes are organised to maximise learning and student : teacher
ratio. Composite classes allow greater flexibility in catering for individual
learning needs of the students.
